Ever find yourself JUMPING to FAILURE?

Why are we SO quick to JUMP to FAILURE?

Think about that moment when you start something new…

The excitement, the energy, the drive.

Maybe a new exercise routine.  A new relationship.  Starting a new business or project.

Ever find that we often replace that initial excitement with feelings of fear and dread of failure?

Ever jump ship before you even saw something through?

I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately… as I hear it often in my practice (and often with myself.)  

People say to me… “well, I blew it again!”  Just a few days into a new exercise program or way of eating.

Why are we SO quick to jump to failure?

Because it is a way OUT.

It is a way out from dealing with the disappointment that we *may* feel if things don’t go according to plan.

A way to protect ourselves from feeling the pain, embarrassment, or shame of embarking on something and “not succeeding” – and that is in quotes because I believe that idea is totally subjective.

Here’s the thing…

If we never allow ourselves to venture beyond that initial glow of starting something new, or taking a risk, well then we can control the outcome.

We can control what comes next if we jump right to failure or throwing in the towel.

Because of this, we are missing out.  BIG TIME.

And so I want to offer you up something for you to think about…  an alternative lens on this notion.


I’m talking about failure, how it feels, why we jump to it,

and our addiction to instant gratification all month on Get Lively with Jan.


Take a moment and really think about the situation in which you feel you failed.

Hold it in your hand and really look at it.  

Ask yourself these three questions.  REALLY ask yourself and think about your answers.

  1. WHY do I think I failed?

  2. HOW does that make me feel?

  3. How is this IMPACTING other areas of my life?

You might be surprised by what comes up for you…

You might uncover that your reasons for thinking you failed don’t hold much weight.

You might see how this feeling of failure is negatively impacting other areas of your life… areas that you couldn’t understand why you were struggling.

It is so important to take the time to do this because THAT is when we actually SEE what is happening and we can begin to change our mindset.

And how do we go about that?  It’s as simple as reframing the questions:

  1. WHAT did I learn from this and how did I grow?

  2. How does THAT make me feel?

  3. How is that positively impacting other areas of my life?

See?  Every situation represents an opportunity to look through two different lenses.  

Did this shift something for YOU?  Would love to hear from you in the comments below.