We will all fail. While not all of us are okay with our failures, our failures can be the best teaching resources we have.
There’s so much we can look back on. We can see the steps, actions, and emotions we took and felt during the failure. We can evaluate what went right or wrong. We can see the big picture after the failure, and that’s what we need to do.
In reflecting on our past failures, we must be willing to ask ourselves probing questions. These questions are the reasons behind the failure. They will help you to understand and grow from the latest challenge you’ve faced.
If you’re ready to grow from your failures, keep reading. This will give you the questions you need to grow from your failure.
Photo by takahiro taguchi on Unsplash
25 Questions To Ask Yourself When You Fail
1. How did my assumptions impact my decision-making and the outcome?
2. Did I stay open to new ideas and perspectives?
3. What other businesses have faced similar failures? What could I have learned from them?
4. Why did I overlook critical risks?
5. Was the timing of this project off? Should we have held off or started earlier?
6. What were my blindspots? How can I correct them?
7. Did I prioritize the right things throughout this process?
8. What were the key factors that led to the failure?
9. Did I have the right people around me?
10. Was my understanding of the outcome correct?
11. How could I have communicated the mission and vision behind the project better?
12. What was my attitude like? Did I maintain a positive, upbeat demeanor?
13. Was there technology missing that could have made this a success?
14. Did I miss an opportunity to pivot and shift when things started to go poorly?
15. Did I display humility when we had to end the project?
16. What early warning signs did I miss? How can I be mindful of these signs in the future?
17. How will this failure impact the long-term future?
18. Did I seek feedback throughout the project? How can I do this better in the future?
19. Were my expectations for the project unrealistic?
20. Why did I make certain assumptions about the project?
21. What could I have done better to have more clarity and direction?
22. Who could I have reached out to for guidance?
23. Was my team motivated? How could I have motivated them and moved them to success?
24. What external factors played a role in this failure? Was there a way to mitigate them?
25. How did my leadership style impact this project?
Questions Matter
The more questions we ask when we face failure, the more we can learn from the failure. Don’t be afraid to question yourself. You’ve got the answers, you need to pull them out.
When you face a failure, dig in deep. Ask the tough questions. Get an understanding of what went wrong.
By doing this, you’ll be ready for the next project. You will be able to start off on a much better footing and failure will be less likely to happen.
Whatever you do, keep getting back up.
