Why benefits advisors must celebrate the losses

We’ve all heard the advice, “fail forward” and “it’s more important to celebrate failure than to celebrate success.” We hear these sayings so often that it’s easy to dismiss them, but it’s important to stop and reflect on the reality behind them.

In the pursuit of wins and success, setbacks are inevitable. After all, there is no chance of winning without the possibility of losing. The path to victory is necessarily obscured by challenges, resistance, competition, and other barriers that work to keep you from achieving your goals. 

To avoid pitfalls and losses, we often play not to lose. Rather than viewing losses as failures, we must reframe them as the valuable lessons they are. These lessons propel you forward on your journey. When we find this healthier perspective, we also find energy in the possibility of defeat, because it becomes a clear signal that we are on the path to victory. 

However, the occasional loss isn’t the real issue; it’s how we respond to these losses that genuinely matters. You will never enjoy failing, but you must find the reasons to celebrate its role in your journey to success.

Instead of dwelling on defeat, the key is to embrace it, dissect it, learn from it, and use it to fuel growth. By finding a new perspective that builds a resilient mindset and viewing setbacks as opportunities for improvement, you will turn defeats into stepping stones to success. Learning from a defeat turns it into another small victory. Those small victories make future successes all the more likely.

It takes a team

Don’t allow yourself to compete in isolation, even as a solopreneur. Surround yourself with coaches, mentors, peer groups, and accountability partners. Just because losses are inevitable, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reduce their number by learning from others and leaning on them to help clear your path to success.

However, we all must remind ourselves that, in the end, it’s up to us; we must own our results. This potent combination of personal responsibility supported by a network ensures we achieve our potential with the fewest setbacks possible.

We remind our clients regularly that we aren’t the destination; we’re the partner that helps create a clear and predictable path that ensures they reach their destination. Of course, they must be motivated and willing to follow the path. 

Clarity of mission

To win consistently, set clearly defined and measurable goals and prioritize your activities. The more specific and measurable the goals, the more likely you are to hit them. A lack of clarity allows us to hide from ourselves and not be honest about the hard work needed to win. Clarity keeps us from being distracted and procrastination; it also provides a sense of urgency and personal accountability.

Each smaller goal becomes another chance to win or lose. You tend to keep your eye on the big win, but these small victories are arguably just as important; they ensure the big one happens. And because the losses here are smaller, suffering the big loss is much less likely.

However, you can’t plan for or anticipate everything; unexpected challenges will happen even with the best-laid plans. While setbacks and disruptions are inevitable, remaining flexible, resilient and open to change is essential. By embracing uncertainty and approaching challenges positively, you will minimize unexpected challenges and be better prepared for those that can’t be avoided. 

The path to victory isn’t always smooth or obvious. It requires resilience, confidence, discipline, and flexibility. By embracing these principles and making them part of your DNA, you can unlock your full potential and give yourself an advantage over your competition; you will find the confidence and determination necessary to win.