As an entrepreneur, you’re building a brand. The keyword here is BUILD. For that reason, there will always be curves, twists, setbacks, transitions, and dare I say it failures. Yes, failures plural with an S. Failure is inevitable when you’re taking any type of risks in life. The big ole F-word will appear in various shapes, forms and fashion and within EVERY phase of your business: Formation, Concentration, Momentum and Stability. The goal is to be proactive not reactive.

Side Note: The real problem is that so many business owners are doing it for the ‘ gram. That they aren’t being transparent. You see the glitz and glam but not the blood, sweat, tears, energy and sleepless nights. I’ve always made it a point to celebrate ALL aspects of entrepreneurship. You have to celebrate your highs and learn how to grow as you navigate your lows. It’s a balancing act really.

So, what can you do to embrace the success in your failures?

• Shift your perspective. Embrace and be open minded to learn: identify the lesson), reflect: what action or lack thereof (did I take to get here) and deflect (release what was beyond your control).
• Remember why you started.
• Document your journey. In doing so, you’re tracking your progress. In the future, you will be able to reference to your  growth.
• Learn from your mistakes and re-strategize your approach. After all, you know what to do differently this time around.

Don’t beat yourself up. Did you know Steve Jobs was fired from Apple, not once but three times? If he can bounce back and create the single greatest tech company to date. You can and will persevere. Keep going, push through!