Accept Failure To Achieve Success: How ACT can help you cope

Failing at work or school is an inevitable part of life for most people. Instead of dwelling on mistakes and what went wrong, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can help you move forward.

ACT aims to increase psychological flexibility and help you accept thoughts and emotions without trying to change or avoid them. Accepting failure means acknowledging reality in a balanced, nonjudgmental way. You recognize what happened but refrain from adding harsh self-criticism.

When you fail at something, negative thoughts like "I'm not good enough" tend to arise. ACT teaches you to observe these thoughts without believing them as absolute truths. You come to realize they are just products of the mind - not facts. Simply acknowledging and allowing negative thoughts to be present, without pushing them away, can reduce their hold over you.

As you accept failure, you can then refocus your energy on committing to values-driven action. Instead of ruminating over the past, identify what you truly want to work toward. Make a plan for how to improve next time based on facts, not negative self-talk.

With practice, ACT can help you encounter failure with flexibility, kindness and wisdom. You learn the thoughts and emotions are temporary, while your potential and values endure. Accepting failure is the first step to moving forward - not backwards - in work, school and life.