At some point in our lives, we have all faced “failure” or at least what seems to us as a failure. We’ve all been there, trust me. In fact, medical school can present opportunities to face failure in some way, shape, or form. It’s not the failure that defines you; what defines you is how you choose to handle the situation.
I’m here to share with you how I handle personal failures. We’re all human, and we all make mistakes. Here goes nothing:
- Don’t make it personal. I try to separate failure from the way I identify myself. Again, failure does not and should not define you. Personalizing failure gives you the passage to doubt your abilities.
- Learn, grow, and adapt. Use the experience to better yourself by learning from your mistakes. If every inventor stopped when they faced failure, then we may still be cavemen.
- Be optimistic and stop dwelling. I’ll be the first to admit that I can be bad about this, but attitude is everything. Give yourself a pity party for a day. The next day, start fresh and focus your energy on what is next.
- Be grateful. It’s all about perspective. Appreciate the positive things. Chances are there is more good than bad, but we tend to focus on the bad. Be grateful for every experience as it shapes you into who you are.
Remember, medical school is a marathon, not a sprint. If it were easy, then everyone would do it.
