What do you do if your startup career is plagued by failure?

Failure is inevitable in the startup world. But what if you feel like your startup career is a series of disappointments, rejections, and mistakes? How do you cope with the emotional and financial toll of failing repeatedly? And how do you bounce back and find new opportunities to grow and learn? In this article, we'll share some tips and insights on how to deal with failure as a startup founder, employee, or enthusiast, and how to turn it into a source of resilience and adaptability.

1 Accept and learn from failure

The first step to overcome failure is to acknowledge it and learn from it. Don't deny, blame, or rationalize your failures. Instead, take responsibility, analyze what went wrong, and identify what you can improve or change for the next time. Failure is not a reflection of your worth or potential, but an opportunity to gain valuable feedback and insights. Use failure as a catalyst for growth, not a setback.

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Pourya Parsa

Product Manager
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Understanding failure is crucial, but it's more than just admitting it happened. It's also about deciding whether to persevere or take a different direction. Acceptance is an ongoing process.

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Dev Patel

2x Top Voice | Founder, Saturday Explore | General Secretary, Synergy - The Entrepreneurship Club @PDEU | Cybersecurity Enthusiast | Passionate about Tech & Management | Driven by Curiosity and Continuous Learning
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Don't be afraid from the failure. It's one of the parts of the journey to be successful. Accept the failure and learn from it. Don't deny, blame, or rationalize your failures. Instead, take responsibility, analyze what went wrong, and identify what you can improve or change for the next time.

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Ashutosh Kumar Singh

Transformative Leadership: Driving Innovation and Growth
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If your startup career faces setbacks, prioritize resilience and learning. Analyze failures for valuable insights, adjusting strategies accordingly. Seek mentorship and networking opportunities to gain perspective and support. Embrace a growth mindset, focusing on continuous improvement. Consider pivoting if necessary, aligning with market demands. Stay adaptable and persistent, leveraging failures as stepping stones toward success. Remember, setbacks are common in entrepreneurship; it's how you respond and learn from them that defines your trajectory.

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Choriny M.

Helping Millions of Gig Drivers and Their Families Earn a Living Wage
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If your startup career faces failure, view setbacks as learning opportunities, analyze what went wrong, adjust your strategy, seek feedback, stay resilient, and consider pivoting or exploring new opportunities aligned with your strengths and market demands.

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Subodh Bajpai

Securing Business Funding in Just 24 Hours | Seasoned Hedge Fund Manager | Vulture Capital | Business Financing Buff | Known as 'Funding Guru' | Author | International Liaison
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> Analyze failures. > What went wrong? Can you pivot your approach or idea based on these learnings? > Is your idea still viable? Is the market right? > Sometimes a strategic shift is needed. > Talk to mentors or potential customers. > Get honest feedback. > Remember, successful founders often face setbacks before achieving their goals.

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2 Seek support and feedback

You don't have to face failure alone. Seek support and feedback from your network, mentors, peers, or coaches. They can offer you emotional support, constructive criticism, advice, or referrals. They can also help you see your failures from a different perspective, and remind you of your strengths and achievements. Surround yourself with positive and supportive people who can help you overcome failure and move forward.

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3 Pivot or persevere

Sometimes, failure means that you need to pivot or change your direction, strategy, or product. Maybe you need to target a different market, solve a different problem, or use a different technology. Other times, failure means that you need to persevere or stick to your vision, despite the challenges and obstacles. Maybe you need to refine your value proposition, improve your marketing, or raise more funds. The key is to evaluate your situation objectively, and decide whether to pivot or persevere based on data, feedback, and market signals.

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Jonathan P. Chen

Co-Founder @ Bluprint | Gold House Ventures Accelerator Fall '23
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Failure is sometimes a gift - it helps you see that your product/service isn't good enough to get people trying to pry it from your hands. Startups are a bit like dating - it should be an enthusiastic yes, or you might be chasing the wrong thing.

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4 Explore new opportunities

Failure can also open new doors and possibilities for your startup career. Maybe you can join another startup, start a new venture, or pursue a different passion. Maybe you can acquire new skills, expand your network, or discover new trends. Failure can help you explore new opportunities and find your niche, passion, or purpose. Don't limit yourself to one path or idea, but be open and curious about what the startup world has to offer.

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5 Cultivate a growth mindset

Finally, failure can help you cultivate a growth mindset, which is the belief that you can improve your abilities and outcomes through effort, learning, and feedback. A growth mindset helps you embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, seek feedback, and persist in the face of adversity. A growth mindset also helps you celebrate the success of others, rather than feel threatened or envious. A growth mindset is essential for your startup career, as it enables you to adapt and thrive in a dynamic and uncertain environment.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if your startup career is plagued by failure?

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1 Accept and learn from failure

2 Seek support and feedback

3 Pivot or persevere

4 Explore new opportunities

5 Cultivate a growth mindset

6 Here’s what else to consider

Startup Development

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What do you do if your startup career is plagued by failure?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Accept and learn from failure

2 Seek support and feedback

3 Pivot or persevere

4 Explore new opportunities

5 Cultivate a growth mindset

6 Here’s what else to consider

Startup Development

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