Failure turned into Strength

Oftentimes, as human beings, when we make a mistake or when we fail we tend to shut down or give up. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NEVER GIVE UP! One of the turning points in my career came during my first attempt at pursuing my dreams of starting my own consultancy firm. I entered this phase of my life, full of excitement and driven to be successful. I invested in renting my own office space, requested pitch meetings with every company that I could reach, and spent over 14 hours a day working on strategies. I managed to sign a few clients, which unfortunately didn’t last more than 8 months. They each had their own reason for moving on; a few had internal management dilemmas, and others simply did not believe in the power of marketing. The self-doubt began to creep in and I felt as though I had failed before I really even began. For a split second I considered walking away and giving up, but instead I chose to appreciate the experience. I realized that those few months taught me lessons that I would have never been able to learn; lessons of patience and persistence. I decided that it was not failure, but merely a minor setback and the only way that I could succeed is to never give up. Every contract that was not renewed helped me to improve, to learn from my mistakes and to grow to be more confident and resilient. Shifting my mindset changed everything. I no longer expect instant results and instead I focus on progress that is steady. After three years of not giving up, I can proudly say that I am still running and growing my consultancy. What once felt like the ultimate failure, became the strength for my growth. There are a few lessons that I will always share with others. Firstly, a difficult moment does not mean that you have chosen the wrong path, it means that there are opportunities to learn. Secondly, making mistakes are not setbacks unless you choose not to learn from them. Lastly, being persistent matters a ton more than being perfect. You must be willing to push yourself and to keep going no matter what bumps there are along the way.