How to benefit from unwanted results

You will note I use the words 'unwanted results' rather than 'failures' simply for all those people out there who do not believe in the latter. However let's consider a situation where your intended goal does not eventuate. Consider it what you like but you achieved something you did not plan and this something is not a positive for you. What do you do?

Any number of things it appears....stress, blame yourself, blame someone else, convince yourself you didn't work hard enough and next time will be different. These are all common thoughts but they have one thing in common - none truly revisit the cause of the unwanted result and therefore no new action is taken to ensure the same result will not arise in the future.

I experienced something recently where my intended goal did not eventuate. I'll admit it was not a great experience and something I do not want to experience again. However after my short stress period I sat down and looked at the cause of the result. Put simply I hadn't given myself the knowledge I needed to achieve my goal and my planning was lacking. Therefore my solution is to gain more knowledge and prepare a better plan. I will follow this next time and if necessary adjust if I again do not achieve my goal.

The lesson is simple...change of results comes from changing perceptions and actions, not by wishing or blaming external influences. If you experience an unwanted result look at the cause, not effect, and make appropriate changes. If not stress and frustration will arise as you will continue to produce the same result over and over again - the result that you do not want and your intended result will never materialize.

The truly challenging aspect of making these changes is that what is holding you back from making the action shift could be a deep-seated habit, principle or fear. The human mind works best with what it believes and making these shifts is not easy. However the answer is to focus on making changes in small steps - you only have to be dedicated, determined and brave enough to take that first step and that achievement will lead you to breaking down your old perceptions allow you to implement new actions.