1 Little-Known Way To Deal With Failure (And Unexpected Ally)

There are only 3 ways to deal with mistakes:

1. Hang your head low and allow failure to slow you down
2. Learn, raise your head, and move on.

Once you keep your head up and don’t let failure get in your way...

Once you become aware of what you can learn from failure and move on...

The only thing left to do is:

3.   LAUGH AT YOURSELF

I found that laughing at myself helped

 It's November 1973. I’m studying at Braga seminary. The director announces my name: “Vitor Costa”.

I freeze.

I rise and slowly make my way to the auditorium’s stage, which is filled with seminarians and seminary priests.

Two weeks before, the director called me to his office.

Without bothering to say hello, he said: “Vitor, do you want to draft a paper about Hunger in World and share it with whole community on our anniversary?”

It was a crazy question for many reasons:

1.     I’d never actually performed in front an audience before

2.     I had never once expressed the desire to any research work and much less present it publicly.

3.     I had no desire to read my work for a room full of peers and fifteen priests. Frankly, it sounded terrifying. Full of tension and responsibility.

4.     I was a quiet, introverted guy.

 In addition to these problems not only did I know nothing about how to face an audience, but I knew nothing how to be engaging, entertaining and connective.

 The last thing I wanted to do was take the stage.

 I was convinced that I could not to do a decent work.

 So, when the director asked me, “Vitor, do you want to draft a paper about “Hunger in World” and share it with whole community on our anniversary?”

I said, “Yes.”

Why?

I have always believed that it’s better to do something bad than nothing at all. You can improve something bad. You can’t improve nothing. Therefore I grew up saying yes to every opportunity that came my way.

 So here I am.

 Standing in front of an audience made up of peers and priests, with hundreds of eyes on me, presenting my research findings.

A few moments later, I felt something that no presenter ever wants to feel. I felt a total lack of connection with that audience. I stammered and felt insecure. I remember thinking, “Oh no! This is going to be a terrible experience. “

 Guess what? It was!

 My first feelings were one of guilt and rage. I knew right away that I had sliced "a sorrowful figure."

 I experienced a roller-coaster of emotions. As the person picked to lighten the celebration, I felt terrible shame. As my first public presentation, I was unsure of my abilities to deliver a compelling presentation.

In that dark moment, I found an unexpected ally: laughter. I chose to pivot.

Next day, with a sense of calmness restored, the embarrassment and anger I had experienced transformed into a broad smile.

In the end, I reflected: "Indeed, I gained some insight. This is bad now, but good things will happen later.”

Then a great weight lifts off my shoulders.

Laughing at myself helped me get over my feelings of guilt and rage.

I chose to transform my mistake into a moment of laughter instead of dwelling on it negatively.

It was a turning point in my growth and proof that I was open to learning.

Enjoy being wrong.

Making a mistake might be a sign of discovering something new. LAUGH AT YOURSELF. It helps you improve rather than prove yourself.

 When faced with a less-then-perfect day, how will you react?