As you progress towards greatness, you’re going to encounter setbacks. Don’t let them discourage you. Regard each setback as a valuable lesson. Look for the reasons behind the setbacks. Did you lose site of your goal? Did you go in without the proper commitment? Did you fail to make an adequate investment?
Or were you simply premature, tackling a major challenge before you had acquired the necessary education and training.
Decide what you need to do to make a success the next time around. Then go back in, determined that you’re not going to repeat your mistakes. If you fail again, fall back and analyze once again the source of your setback. If you accept each failure as a positive learning experience, you’ll eventually find the formula for greatness.
When you’ve achieved your goal of greatness, look around you. You’re not on top of a lofty peak. You’re bumping against another ceiling. Look for new worlds to conquer. There are always other opportunities for greatness all around you. Become aware of them. Set yourself a new and loftier goal. Work hard and work smart to achieve it. Give generously of your time, talent and resources to help others achieve greatness. When your head seems to be striking a ceiling, look for a higher ceiling. Continue on your path to greatness.
Remember that there will be times when you have to take some steps backward. But as soon as you start stepping back, begin to look around for the direction of your next forward movement.
Successful people don’t stand still. They move. Sometimes they move forward and sometimes they move backwards. The secret is to make your steps forward outnumber your steps backward.