Failure is something that we will all deal with in our lifetimes. It’s a normal and healthy thing to experience, as it helps you grow as a person.
Even though failure is healthy, it can also be difficult to deal with, especially when it comes after putting a lot of effort into a project.
Often times, projects are doomed to fail from the start. So how are they doomed, and how can you avoid it?
Believing That You Will Fail from the Beginning
If you believe that you will fail then you will fail.
Why? Because you’re setting up an expectation for yourself, and then meeting that expectation.
So how can you change your mindset from the very beginning?
The first thing you can do to change your mindset is to visualize what success would look like. How will it affect you and the people who work with you? What other successes could stem from the success of your project? What experiences would you gain?
Visualizing success will not only help you change your mindset, but it will help you prepare for the future.
Another thing you can do to change your mindset is to figure out ways that you could fail, and then figure out how to overcome those obstacles before you reach them.
Not Planning Properly
Not planning properly is a rather common mistake. The planning stage of a project is one that is easily neglected, as the excitement of starting something new can take over.
While that excitement can be used to increase your productivity, you should be wary of getting swept up in it, and ignoring the problems that are right in front of you.
To avoid this mistake, sit down and brainstorm things you will need to acquire or do to finish the project. Then make goals and break those goals down into smaller steps.
Another way to plan things out, is to create a schedule with tasks and deadlines. Be careful when making those deadlines, as you’ll want to leave some wiggle room for illnesses, emergencies, and other obstacles.
Coasting on the Novelty
It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of a new project, and think that you’re making a lot more progress than you actually are.
I refer to this as coasting on the novelty because it’s like you’re just riding a wave of excitement.
Soon enough, that wave will die down, and you will realize that the project isn’t nearly as good as you thought it would be, or that you haven’t made nearly as much progress as you thought you had made.
To avoid that, make sure that you plan out deadlines and how long the project will take to complete. It may seem like a dull task, but it will give you more concrete measures of progress.
Another way to avoid that is to keep going, even when your idea doesn’t seem as good as it did when you first started working on it.
Not Creating Accountability
The last way that people set themselves up for failure is by not creating accountability.
When you are held responsible for the completion, or lack of completion, of a project, it gives you more motivation to succeed.
Accountability can also help you receive feedback on your work, and a good push when you’re no longer making progress.
How can you create accountability?
The first thing you can do is tell people about the project that you’re working on. Tell your family, friends, and coworkers about your idea. Don’t tell everybody and anybody though. The cashier at your local grocery store probably won’t check in next week to see how much progress you’ve made.
Another way to create accountability is to give a trusted person $100 dollars. If you think that the current stage of your project will take 100 hours to complete, have them give you $1 back for every hour you work.
While failure may seem like a very difficult thing to avoid, taking precautions early on will increase the probability of your success.
If you found this post helpful, consider leaving a like or a comment. I post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so check back soon for a new post.
Cozy Rebekah 