GET BACK IN THAT SADDLE!

Manilka Ediriweera explains how setbacks in life can be turned around

In the course of daily life, what matters is not how many times you fall but how often you decide to get back up again. And life is full of challenges; it knocks us down when we least expect it – like a rogue wave that comes crashing down unexpectedly, leaving one despondent and demotivated.

The past couple of years in particular have seen trying times that have truly tested us all. No matter where we were or what we did, all of us have been through a series of setbacks during the pandemic – these setbacks include job redundancies, economic downturns, social upheaval and more.

Setbacks can be major or minor and may involve situations such as not securing the job or promotion you anticipated, failing to achieve the financial targets you aimed for, not meeting the business goals you identified or simply falling ill when you had a meaningful and busy day ahead.

These problems, irrespective of their nature, can leave us feeling disconsolate and even hopeless. And when the many trials of life knock us down repeatedly, we often become discouraged and even depressed, beginning to question why it’s happening to us and whether we will be able to recover.

It is inevitable that each and every one of us will experience obstacles irrespective of where we find ourselves in life. And while they can leave us feeling like it’s the end of the world, it isn’t! They are not failures but simply impediments that slow down our progress.

The good news is that we have the ability to overcome all these problems.

Each one of us has the power and ability to recover from setbacks because there is no situation that we can’t handle. But it’s up to us to take the decision to get back up, instead of staying down and feeling sorry for ourselves.

Take a look at some of the more successful people in the world. They have all experienced setbacks and failures along the way. But what got them to where they are was their courage, determination, persistence and the resilience not to quit when faced with obstacles.

For instance, consider some employees who were laid off due to labour cutbacks as a result of the pandemic but have launched their own businesses. There was even a surge in startups and entrepreneurship in the last 18 months compared to previous periods.

So how do we transform these setbacks into successes and get back on track?

One of the first things we have to do is accept that these impediments aren’t failures. Instead of perceiving them as such, it’s essential to look at failures as nothing more than mere speed bumps or road-blocks to one’s progress.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “out of adversity comes opportunity.” Therefore, while giving up in the face of adversity seems easier than getting back up, we must train our minds to see the upside, and understand that setbacks are also opportunities for change and success.

In addition to adopting such a positive attitude, it’s important to look for lessons and identify how this experience can help you grow. Focussing on the negatives will not lead to anything good… because we don’t have the ability to change the past. Instead, what we can do is let go of the past and change the future.

So if we’re able to maintain a balanced perspective about our problems and the adversity we’ve faced, we can eliminate thoughts that are prohibitive to our growth and then reframe the situation in ways that can improve our understanding of ourselves.

While looking for lessons and growth opportunities, you should also reassess your goals if necessary.

It is important to ask yourself questions such as: ‘Should I change direction?’; ‘Do my goals still fit into my vision?’; ‘How can I adapt to the situation?’; ‘What can I learn from this problem that will help me prevent something like it from happening again?’; and ‘What have I learned and what can I do better?’

Doing so will give you a clearer picture of the situation, your goals and what you need. And this process will make it easier to plan and strategise.

To cap things off, it is essential to view the situation from different angles, and consider the steps needed to overcome setbacks, reassess your goals and take control of things. As humans, we tend to be our worst critics when things go wrong.

However, if you want to turn setbacks into success, it’s important to acknowledge and accept responsibility instead of playing the blame game and being too hard on yourself. Maintaining a tough stance too is essential – because resilience will help you to bounce back sooner and turn things around.

So if the current chapter of your life isn’t working out too well, it is time to rewrite your story and start again. Fly high and seize new opportunities where possible; but don’t ever hide and wait for your problems to pass.