How To Overcome Setbacks and Use Them For Future Success

 

If You Never Know Failure You Will Never Know Success

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Life is crazy. Sometimes it's beautiful and amazing—you feel like you’ve got things figured out, you’re on top of the world, you’re exactly where you’re meant to be. But sometimes, life sucks. It can be hard, complicated, tragic, and awful, and you can’t imagine how you’re going to take one more step forward.

At various points in our lives, we are all met with setbacks, failures, and obstacles. Some are small, like a speedbump, just enough to slow us down. Some are huge, like a wall, and stop us entirely in our tracks.

All of them give us an opportunity—an opportunity to pause, restart, reflect, learn, grow, and reshape our lives.

My life has been full of setbacks and obstacles. I’ve lost loved ones, missed opportunities, and made huge mistakes at work. I’ve suffered from injuries, accidents, anxiety, and overwhelm. But through them all, I’ve learned how to honor them, get through, and use them to prepare for future success.

While I often couldn’t see it at the time, I now know there have been no mistakes on my journey. Instead, each step has led me to the life I live today. Each scar made me stronger. Each failure helped me learn, and each setback had a strange way of setting me up for the next step in my life.

Whatever setback you might be facing and however big or small it may be, in my latest article on Lifehack, you'll get a simple, practical 3-step process to deal with whatever life throws your way. Read it HERE.

If you're currently experiencing a setback, it may feel like the end of the world. I promise you, it is not. Instead, it’s a chance for you to define your destiny. You get to choose what happens next. 

Will this setback take you down, or will this setback be the very thing that defines who you are? It’s completely up to you.

I hope you find the resources, stories, and strategies in this article helpful and supportive. And iff you know someone who’s facing a big setback or obstacle right now, please feel free to pass this on :)

 
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How To Escape The Curse Of Competence
competence, strategies, YES Filter, Zone of Genius
How To Escape The Curse Of Competence
competence, strategies, YES Filter, Zone of Genius

“If you want something done, ask a busy person.”

I’ve watched that saying prove true again and again over nearly 30 years of coaching and consulting. The capable people get tapped for everything.

Can you lead the presentation? Train the new hire? Fix the project? Join one more committee? Of course you can. You’re reliable, experienced and willing to step in.

But just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

My latest Forbes article explores what I call the curse of competence: getting pulled into work because you’re good at it, not because it is the best use of your strengths, supports your growth or brings you joy.

If you feel like you’re the one carrying everything, I wrote this piece for you.

Inside, I share:

  • How to recognize when competence has quietly become obligation

  • The real cost to your energy, growth and joy

  • A simple YES filter to use before automatically agreeing

  • Graceful ways to say no, redirect an opportunity or make room on your plate

This isn’t about becoming less helpful or less generous. It’s about protecting your capacity for the work only you can do.

The goal isn’t to do less. It’s to stop giving your best work away so you can be brilliant at the work that fulfills you.

Read more →
competence, strategies, YES Filter, Zone of Genius
Your Talent Development Budget’s Been Slashed. Now What?
AI, Budget, Talent, Training, Coaching, Teams, Investment, Leadership
Your Talent Development Budget’s Been Slashed. Now What?
AI, Budget, Talent, Training, Coaching, Teams, Investment, Leadership

A trend is evident across organizations: budgets are tightening, and talent development is often one of the first areas to take a hit. As investment in AI climbs, budgets for training, leadership development, and teambuilding are decreasing.

It’s logical on paper. AI is the future. It promises speed, efficiency, scalability, and cost savings. Organizations are transforming to meet future demands, and AI investments are vital for long-term success.

However, there’s a risk quietly building beneath the surface: we’re optimizing organizations through AI while underinvesting in the humans doing the work. That’s a dangerous tradeoff.

What happens when we inadvertently deprioritize the growth, development, and human connection of the people managing these AI processes – and everything else that keeps organizations running smoothly? The unintended consequences may not show up on a dashboard, in OKRs or KPIs today or tomorrow. But they will. Disengagement, eroded trust, and talent loss often don’t announce themselves until it’s too late.

As budgets shift and AI investment accelerates, the real question isn’t: How much can AI replace? Instead, it’s How can we best-equip humans to succeed and thrive in an AI-powered workplace?

The answer is not to slow AI development, but to match it with an equal and continued commitment to the human-forward development of people.

Read more →
AI, Budget, Talent, Training, Coaching, Teams, Investment, Leadership
​Change Leadership Made Simple: How Great Leaders Can Inspire Teams Through Uncertainty
​Change Leadership Made Simple: How Great Leaders Can Inspire Teams Through Uncertainty

After years of coaching leaders through change - and navigating plenty myself - I’m excited to share my latest Forbes Coaches Council article:

​Change Leadership Made Simple: How Great Leaders Can Inspire Teams Through Uncertainty.

Change is everywhere - at work and in life.

New initiatives. New strategies. New technologies. Shifts in leadership, roles, objectives. Career transitions, promotions, layoffs.

Sometimes we choose it. Sometimes it chooses us. But we’re all experiencing something new.​

Read more →
Self-Awareness: The Leadership Game-Changer
self-awareness, leadership
Self-Awareness: The Leadership Game-Changer
self-awareness, leadership

We all think we know ourselves. But do we really? In this article I wrote for TalentCulture, I discuss how leadership self-awareness isn’t about good intentions or taking one personality test—it’s about consistently understanding how your behavior affects others.

If you’re thinking, “I’ve done the work”, here’s the catch: you may think you know yourself. Odds are, you mostly do. But real self-awareness isn’t static. And the blind spots that held you back five years ago? They may still be showing up in subtler, more impactful ways.

When leaders fail to recognize that they might be the problem, their teams suffer—and so does business performance.

Read more →
self-awareness, leadership
Power Of The Pause
Power Of The Pause

One of the more undervalued and less frequently discussed behaviors of great leaders is the ability to pause— to step back and stay calm under pressure. Pausing is a critical yet often overlooked skill that allows a leader to block out the noise, chaos, and competing opinions of others and identify the best way forward.

In this Forbes article, you’ll learn to master the power of the pause with one of my favorite leadership tools --- the AHA Method.

Where can you start using the power of the pause in your leadership and life?

Power Of The Pause

Read more →
Survival Isn't Success: Leaving A Toxic Work Environment
toxic, toxic workplace, accept, change, leave, quit, happiness, success, toxic environment
Survival Isn't Success: Leaving A Toxic Work Environment
toxic, toxic workplace, accept, change, leave, quit, happiness, success, toxic environment

Many of us have experienced the murky waters of a work culture gone wrong. In this article on Forbes, I unpack the signs—and impacts—of a toxic work environment and what to do if you find yourself there.

Survival Isn't Success: Leaving A Toxic Work Environment

Read more →
toxic, toxic workplace, accept, change, leave, quit, happiness, success, toxic environment
Creating A Collaborative Workplace: Six Strategies That Actually Work
collaboration, leadership, team dynamics, productivity
Creating A Collaborative Workplace: Six Strategies That Actually Work
collaboration, leadership, team dynamics, productivity

We all know that collaboration is critical, but many leaders struggle to harness it effectively. Leaders can't simply tell their team to “Be more collaborative!” They must dedicate time and intentionality to making it happen. This Forbes piece is chock-full of tips and strategies to get back to basics and effectively foster a collaborative environment.

Creating A Collaborative Workplace: Six Strategies That Actually Work

Read more →
collaboration, leadership, team dynamics, productivity
Have you Heard of "Lucky Girl Syndrome?"
#personaldevelopment, #leadershipcoaching, #livealifeyoulove, #luckygirlsyndrome, #katiecouricmedia, #toxicpositivty, #powerofpositivity, #authenticity, #betruetoyou
Have you Heard of "Lucky Girl Syndrome?"
#personaldevelopment, #leadershipcoaching, #livealifeyoulove, #luckygirlsyndrome, #katiecouricmedia, #toxicpositivty, #powerofpositivity, #authenticity, #betruetoyou

I was thrilled to be contacted by the team at Katie Couric Media to weigh in on a timely topic called, “Lucky Girl Syndrome.” I had a wonderful discussion with the reporter on the benefits of positive thinking, the downfalls of toxic positivity, and how “luck” plays a role in creating the lives of our dreams. We talked about the seductive and trendy nature of "manifesting" and the importance of "putting in the work".

Read more →
#personaldevelopment, #leadershipcoaching, #livealifeyoulove, #luckygirlsyndrome, #katiecouricmedia, #toxicpositivty, #powerofpositivity, #authenticity, #betruetoyou
Bring on the Confidence!
#personaldevelopment, #leadershipcoaching, #livealifeyoulove, #confidence, #boostyourconfidence, #chaseyourdreams, #beconfident
Bring on the Confidence!
#personaldevelopment, #leadershipcoaching, #livealifeyoulove, #confidence, #boostyourconfidence, #chaseyourdreams, #beconfident

Looking for ways to build your confidence? Check out this podcast and article to help you - and your kids -have the confidence to seize opportunities, take chances, embark on the next steps in your life or career, and live a life you love.

Read more →
#personaldevelopment, #leadershipcoaching, #livealifeyoulove, #confidence, #boostyourconfidence, #chaseyourdreams, #beconfident
How to Figure Out Your Next Career Move
#personaldevelopment, #leadershipcoaching, #livealifeyoulove, #nationalcareerdevelopmentmonth, #careeradvice, #careercoaching, #careerchange
How to Figure Out Your Next Career Move
#personaldevelopment, #leadershipcoaching, #livealifeyoulove, #nationalcareerdevelopmentmonth, #careeradvice, #careercoaching, #careerchange

If you’re considering making a move or looking to develop your career further, this is a great time to take a step back, and reflect on what’s most important to you and what you want for your future. In this article, you’ll learn what’s going on with this seismic shift in careers, why it can be so hard to make a move, and five clear and simple steps to take if you’re ready to make a change.

Read more →
#personaldevelopment, #leadershipcoaching, #livealifeyoulove, #nationalcareerdevelopmentmonth, #careeradvice, #careercoaching, #careerchange
 
Tracy Kennedy#personaldevelopment, #successtips, #setbacktocomeback, #overcomingobstacles, #lifecoach, #setyourselfupforsuccess, #overcomefailure