Nothing prepares us for failure, even when all odds are against our hope for success we’d still hope regardless. While we know failure is inevitable, it would surely happen at one point in our lives, a part of us always wants the best; success.
This is why you would probably see a 6 years old trying a two-wheeler for the first time cranky because he/she is having a hard time maneuvering it.
“We can only try and hope for the best”
As students when you study for exams, long hours go in, time is spent reading and researching, physical and intellectual strength goes into preparing and their writing. Obviously, you don’t go through all of that to fail.
So when it happens what do you do? Do you blame it on the circumstances, blame it on everything that breathes and doesn’t? What do you do when faced with failure as students?
1. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY;
Accept the result rather than avoid it. Internalize your failure, the same way you would for success. Don’t blame it on zillion external factors while you leave the “YOU” factor out of it. Don’t go on raving about how the questions were too tough, how the time wasn’t enough…the list goes on and on.
Accepting the situation you are in, would place you in a better position of changing it.
2. ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL;
Don’t bottle up your emotions.
You feel hopeless, angry, useless, bitter, sad…yes it is only right that you feel so, don’t stifle yourself from feeling whatever comes with your failure by pretending to be okay or evading the situation completely as though nothing happened.
Although it is advisable not to do this longer than it is healthy, it becomes unhealthy when you question your self-worth, when your words begin to deflate your self-esteem. You can talk to a trusted individual or a therapist if you find yourself doing this.
3. SEPARATE YOUR FEELINGS FROM THE FACT;
The fact is that you failed, but that doesn’t make you jinxed; someone naturally suited for only failure or misfortune.
The fact is that you are human, you are liable to fail at something and you deserve a second chance.
While you are in your feelings, don’t forget the facts.
4. EXAMINE PREVIOUS PROCESS;
An overview of all that went down would help you plan better for the next. Now you know the excesses you would have to cut down, things you would have to devote more time and energy to, all of this can save you from falling into the same pithole
5. MAKE PLANS FOR THE NEXT;
Lessons from the previous ordeal should be put to use here, maybe you would have to join a study group, sleep more, study using practice questions, eat healthily, learn time management in the exam hall.
To avoid past mistakes from repeating themselves, you have to study the previous cycle, learn from it, then plan and work your way away from it.
