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Human beings are incredible in our ability to bounce back from failures. Even if the most critical failures, accidents, mishaps and tragedies leave us physically, emotionally and mentally depleted, we find a way to persevere.

There’s a beauty to this stubbornness that’s so characteristic of our species. To pull yourself out of a funk, to power through the hardest days and nights you didn’t think you’d make it through, takes an immense amount of courage, determination and grit. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel, even if it doesn’t seem like that right now.

What if the setback isn’t personal, though? What if it’s professional?

Personal tragedies can be easier to process for a lot of us—we throw ourselves into work and career and find solace outside our homes. However, when our career isn’t going as well as we’d hoped, what do we do?

Failures and setbacks look different for different people. For you, it could mean being passed up for the promotion you thought you were going to get; for your colleague, it could be them losing their job. For your best friend, it could mean their business suffering losses; for your son or daughter, it could mean their start-up not taking off.

It’s very subjective and varies from person to person, but it doesn’t mean that one person’s setback is less significant than another’s. This is where you exercise empathy for yourself and for others.

So, you’ve faced a setback—how do you get back up?

There’s a lot you can do to move forward from any setback, big or small. Remember, you’re the captain of your ship, and it’s important that you don’t let the situation get the best of you.

Some things to remember and practice in the face of professional setbacks are:

1. Don’t take it personally. Even if you’ve made a grave mistake, it’s okay. There’s more to who you are as a person than what you do—whether you’re a highly successful CEO or an intern. Making mistakes is a normal part of professional learning and growth;you’re not the first person to mess up and certainly won’t be the last.
2. Remain unperturbed. It’s easier said than done, but staying calm is essential.  Panicking is normal—stressing out is, too—but losing control of yourself is never a good thing, especially if you have people looking toward you for help.
3. Learn and grow from the opportunity.Every failure is a chance for learning. So learn to see the bright side and practice positivity in order to seek what you can learn. This will also help you find more opportunity and alternatives, as well as prepare you to handle future problems.

As award-winning, Hall of Fame professional motivational speaker Steve Gilliland puts it:

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” — DETOUR: Navigate Life’s Turns

To hire Steve as the keynote speaker for your next event, book him here.