Things don’t always go our way. At work - as in life - we all face disappointments. Whether it’s:
🔹 messing up a presentation
🔹 losing a bid you poured your heart into
🔹 watching a peer get promoted ahead of you, or
🔹 being ‘reorganised’ out of your role or fired
If the road is worth traveling, there will be bumps along the way. What matters is how we respond: do we dust ourselves off and get back in the saddle, or do we stay down, stuck in self-pity and self-doubt?
Here are two techniques to help you regain your balance and move forward:
1. Identify your emotions
When things don’t go as planned, disappointment is natural. But our emotions are rarely that simple. Take a moment to recognize what else you’re feeling –
😳 embarrassment?
😡 frustration?
😨 anxiety?
😞 despair?
Name your emotions, allow yourself to feel them and listen carefully to what they’re telling you. What actions are they pointing to?
2. Find the gift
Challenge yourself to identify at least three potential positives from the situation—whether immediate or long-term. Lost your job? Maybe now’s the time to –
✅ retrain for a career that really excites you
✅ find a role in a company with a culture that’s better aligned with your values, or
✅ follow your dream of starting your own business
No matter how tough things seem, there are always positives – if you look for them.
The road to success is rarely smooth. Setbacks are inevitable. Growth is optional. The question is: how far will you travel down your bumpy road? 🚀