So I’m running a week’s worth of material on career failure, and look what CNN’s running: an article on how to make an online video go viral in which they advocate—what else?—failure.
I like when people embrace their career failures—not in a Carrie Prejean kind of way, her performance on Larry King Live was just weird—but in an honest, raise-your-hand-and-say-”yep, that was me!”-sort-of way.
Because really, if you think about it, here are your only choices:
Own up to the fail, or carry around that nagging “oh, crap” feeling and pull it out any time someone brings up what you did. You can look back and laugh, or you can look back and cry.
If you look back and cry, I know you’re not ready to move forward yet; there’s not much I can do to help you.
(By the way, now’s a good time to remind you all that I’m talking about career fails here.)
But if you’re laughing? Maybe I walk away… but maybe I help you out. Like at the end of Lucas, when Jeremy Piven et. al. sneak the varsity jacket into Corey Haim’s locker. (It’s worth renting, Millennials.)
Of course, getting yourself to a place where you can rise like a Phoenix is easier said than done! Which is why I bring you this simple, practical, 1 question self-assessment you can use to determine if your career fail is one from which you can bounce back. Post fail, ask yourself:
- Did you explode?
If no, then you can, technically, bounce back.
The rest, as they say, is up to you.
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I'm Jason. I make people shine. My mission is to help 1 million people tell their stories better. 
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