Just getting back from a tour of Malaysia and Singapore.
Beautifully diverse. I met a lot of successful people during
the sessions. And it occurred to me that despite their
different nationalities, faiths and businesses they all had
something in common. They had all overcome big setbacks. As
a matter of fact, their success was in direct proportion to
the size of the challenges they faced.

The big idea: setbacks are symptoms of success. If you are
not facing setbacks then you are probably not dreaming big
enough. If you are not experiencing setbacks you are
probably playing small with your life.

Without roadblocks there are no victories. Challenges forge
the greatness in you. They let you know what isn’t working.
They force you to be creative. They are the road to your NLG
(Next Level of Greatness).

So, the next time you face a setback take a moment to
celebrate. I know that roadblocks can be frustrating or
depressing or embarrassing. Yet, the best among us find a
way to keep on acting in the rainstorm of these emotions
(and like rainstorms, emotions eventually pass).

Think of the sales rep who makes the next call after a
rejection or the athlete who works as hard at physiotherapy
as their game when injured, or the student who changes their
study habits after a failed exam. They all keep moving
towards their mountaintop because they all know that the
path to their greatest life is never straight.

Here are some tactics for learning and moving on after a
setback.

Journal – Write about the challenge in your journal. Go
through your feelings. Uncover exactly what bothers you
most. Journaling helps you acknowledge your feelings and
turn them into energy.

Exercise – Working out releases endorphins and gives you a
sense of well-being. It also focuses you on something else
and gives you a small daily win which improves your energy
and confidence.

Find the Upside – After journaling and exercising you are in
a better state of mind to discover the opportunity. What
doors have now opened? How can solving the problem improve
your game?

Watch Your Highlight Reel – Think about the last time you
made it through a setback. What worked? How did you feel
when you moved on? Visualize your past successes. They’ll
give you the confidence to move on. They may also provide
clues to solving this problem.

Strategize – Create a plan. Find out a way to get the client
back, to find new love, to get stronger after an illness.
Whatever it is, planning will put you back in control. Then
include this plan in your schedule because what gets
scheduled gets done.

by Robin S. Sharma