Recovery time

Everyone has setbacks. The key to successfully dealing with them is to recover quickly and get back on track.

Sure, there's a tendency to feel sorry for yourself, to complain, and to imagine all the terrible things that can happen. These things may feel good in some strange way, and they're useful in moderation. But they won't get you where you're going.

The longer you take to mentally recover from your setbacks, the worse you make them. You can't prevent negative things from happening, but you can decide how much power they will have over your life.

When you experience a setback, put it in perspective. It won't look so bad when viewed in the overall context of your life. Look for ways to turn the problem into an opportunity. Maybe other people experience the same problem. Look for what you can learn from it. There's almost always some positive aspect to everything. And make adjustments so that it won't happen again. Take positive action instead of continuing to feel sorry for yourself.

It helps if you have a clear direction and focus, and a plan of action for your life. Then, instead of wallowing in self pity when setbacks come, you can get right back to work and leave them far behind.

-Ralph Marston