From Lemons to Lemonade: Squeeze Every Last Drop of Success Out of Your Mistakes

Chapter 6. Preparing for Multiple Failures

“SUCCESS IS THE ABILITY TO GO FROM ONE FAILURE TO ANOTHER WITH NO LOSS OF ENTHUSIASM.”

—SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL (1874–1965)

“SOMETIMES LIFE HITS YOU IN THE HEAD WITH A BRICK. DON’T LOSE FAITH.”

—STEVE JOBS

“ONCE YOU EMBRACE UNPLEASANT NEWS NOT AS NEGATIVE BUT AS EVIDENCE OF A NEED FOR CHANGE, YOU AREN’T DEFEATED BY IT. YOU’RE LEARNING FROM IT.”

—BILL GATES

The focus so far has been on the emotions triggered by a single project failure to learn and grow from the experience. I have detailed a number of techniques you can use to maximize your learning from this specific failure event. If you’re motivated to try again, you can apply what you have learned to enhance the likelihood that your next project ...