“Embrace resilience after failure”

Soumyasanto Sen
Beyond Thinking
Published in
3 min readAug 11, 2023

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The entrepreneurial spirit and creativity within us always drive us to challenge ourselves. We can envision success that fuels our adventurous journey. We constantly visualize the successful outcome of our concepts, web studios, and startups. Our aspirations are guided by what we envision. Our imagination is a powerful tool, yet it can sometimes lead us astray by distorting our perception of reality. Life inevitably throws obstacles our way, but how we navigate and overcome these challenges truly shapes our journey. Remember, the speed at which we reach our goals is less important than the lessons we learn.

As creators, we must hold a positive outlook, trusting that our choices will benefit us and those we serve. We must have faith. Success brings joy, while failure can sting — yet it’s essential to recover swiftly.

I’m usually quick to rebound. Here’s my strategy for overcoming hurdles:

1. Step Back — Indeed, taking a breather after experiencing a setback is smart! This break allows you to gain new insights, understand your feelings, and return with a sharper, more concentrated mindset. Reassessing with renewed clarity enables you to address difficulties more efficiently and discover innovative solutions or tactics to conquer hurdles. Don’t forget that looking after your well-being and maintaining mental clarity is crucial in your resilience journey. They empower you to recover from setbacks and flourish in challenging situations.

2. Accept failure — Acknowledging failure is vital to progressing and discovering new growth avenues. Recognizing that things may not always turn out as expected shows resilience and adaptability. Understanding that success often comes with challenges and setbacks can help you overcome the pressure of perfectionism and unrealistic expectations. Understanding buyer preferences and decisions beyond your control can provide a more grounded view. Rather than focusing on feelings of failure, use your energy to learn from these experiences and plan for future improvements.

Embracing failure is a testament to self-awareness, providing an opportunity to impartially evaluate your actions and decisions. This sense of self-awareness is a potent instrument for personal and professional growth, aiding you in recognizing areas that need enhancement and formulating improved strategies for the future. Embracing failure swiftly and seeing it as a chance to learn and grow puts you on a journey of constant improvement. This perspective encourages a more positive attitude toward success while strengthening your resilience and determination to handle obstacles gracefully and persistently. In the path of entrepreneurship or any pursuit, we will encounter obstacles. Yet, our reaction to these setbacks shapes our growth and triumphs. By welcoming the wisdom from failure, we prepare ourselves better for future hurdles and new prospects. Remember that failure isn’t a full stop; it’s merely a stepping stone leading you toward your subsequent victory.

3. Learn from it — When things don’t go as planned, or I miss a goal, I learn from it instead of dwelling on the setback. I introspect and ask myself questions to understand the situation better. Not only do I focus on what didn’t work, but also on what did. By doing so, I can gather valuable insights from each experience and apply them in the future. This way, every setback becomes an opportunity for growth and learning.

Whenever there’s a hiccup, or things don’t go as expected, I swiftly bounce back by leaning into what I know best. Redirecting my focus on my strengths and past successes helps to restore my confidence quickly. This burst of positive energy motivates me to pick myself up and venture into the exciting unknown again.

Don't be too hard on yourself even if you didn’t secure that proposal you’ve been working on for weeks or feel a little low about your freelance business. Perhaps a concept didn’t hit the right note with your client — it happens. Designing isn’t a walk in the park — if it were, everyone would be doing it. Remember, resilience is critical! Bounce back swiftly and keep moving forward. Sometimes, our imagination can make things seem more accessible than they are. However, returning to what you excel at will help you regain momentum and confidence. Keep going!

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Soumyasanto Sen
Beyond Thinking

Digital Excellence Leader | Advisor People & Technology | Analyst Future of Work | Web3 Venture Builder | Speaker, Author & Investor