Failing ForwardTurning Mistakes into

stepping stones for Success

By John C. Maxwell

A Special Report by Nerie V. LopezMBA Standard-Ateneo Graduate School of Business

THE Author

The BIG Idea: Steps to Failing Forward• There is one major difference

between the average people and achievers

• Redefine Failure• Remove the “you” from Failure• Take action and Reduce your fear• Change your response to failure,

accept responsibility

The BIG Idea: Steps to Failing Forward• Don’t let failure from outside get

inside you• Say goodbye to yesterday• Change yourself, and your world

changes• Get over yourself and start giving

yourself• Find the benefit in every bad

experience

The BIG Idea: Steps to Failing Forward• If at first, you do succeed, try

something harder• Learn from a bad experience and

make it a good experience• Work on the weakness that

weakens you• There’s not much difference

between failure and success• Get up, get over it, get going

The Difference between average people and achievers

“People’s perception of and response

to failure.”

The Difference between average people and achievers

• 1 billion dollars annual sales• 3,500 employees• 500,000 direct-sales consultant

Redefining Failure

• Failure is unavoidable• Failure is not an event• Failure is not objective• Failure is not irreversible• Failure is not final

Remove the “you” from Failure

Fear of failure stops forward progress

• Paralysis• Procrastination• Purposelessness

Take action and reduce your fear

Change your response to Failure

People’s common reaction to failure:

• They are angry• They cover up mistakes• They speed up• They back up• They give up

Don’t let failure from outside get inside you

• Failure is an inside job• Start cultivating the right attitude

Contentment is not:• Containing your emotions• Maintaining your current situation• Power or money

Say goodbye to yesterday

Signs of being held hostage by their past:•Comparison•Rationalization•Isolation•Regret•Bitterness

Change yourself, and your world changes

The process of change and looking at your mistakes:

•See yourself clearly•Admit your flaws honestly•Discover your strengths joyfully•Build on those strengths passionately

Get over yourself and start giving yourself

How to add value to others:

• Put others first• Find out what others need• Meet the needs of others with

excellence and generosity

Find the Benefit in every bad experience

Benefits of adversity:

• It creates resilience• It develops maturity• It pushes future performance• It provides greater opportunities• It prompts innovation• It motivates

Take a risk, there’s no other way to fail forward

Work on the weaknesses that weakens you

Top 10 reasons why people fail:

1.Poor people skills2.A negative attitude3.A bad fit4.Lack of focus5.A weak commitment

Work on the weaknesses that weakens you

Top 10 reasons why people fail:

6. Unwillingness to change7. A short-cut mindset8. Relying on talent alone9. Poor information gathering10. An absence of goal

There is not much differencebetween success and failure

Four-point plan for approaching achievement:

•Find a purpose•Eliminate excuses•Develop incentives•Cultivate determination

Get up, Get over it, Get goingFORWARD!!!

Finalize your goalOrder your planRisk failing by taking actionWelcome mistakesAdvance based on your characterRe-evaluate your progress continuallyDevelop new strategies to succeed