ATM | A Teaching Monday
UNLOCKING THE POWER OF REFLECTION– Part 3.
How to Turn Failures, Flops, and Fumbles into Fuel for the Year 2026
“
Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford.
Each year teaches us something new — sometimes we win, sometimes we learn!
But if 2025 has taught you anything like it taught Ted, it’s this: painful experiences often carry the most powerful lessons.
The Year Everything Went Sideways
Earlier in Ted`s career, he led what he thought would be a game-changing initiative.
He had vision, passion, and a brilliant strategy — at least on paper.
But within months, things began to crumble. The team was overworked, the plan was overcomplicated, and Ted optimism couldn’t outpace his team exhaustion.
They missed deadlines. They lost key partnerships. Sitting in his car one night after a long day thinking, Ted asked himself, “Maybe I wasn’t ready for this.”
But as he looked back, he realized something profound — he didn’t fail because he wasn’t capable. He failed because he stopped reflecting while he was still running.
Failure became his greatest classroom. It taught him resilience, humility, and the art of listening — to both people and purpose.
What Have You Learned From This Year?
Every failure has feedback written between the lines. Every flop hides a lesson in patience, adaptability, or perspective. Every fumble can either shrink you or shape you — depending on your response.
As leadership expert John Maxwell often says, “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.” If you’re willing to reflect deeply, your most frustrating moments of 2025 can become your fuel for an extraordinary 2026.
How to Turn Failures, Flops, and Fumbles into Fuel Using The FUEL Acronym
F – Face It Honestly
Don’t sugarcoat it. Write down your biggest failure or flop from this year. What really happened? How did you feel about it? Honesty is the first step to recovery and growth.
U – Understand the Lesson
Ask: What did this experience teach me about myself, my leadership, or my limits? Look for the message inside the mess.
E – Extract the Wisdom
Turn pain into principles. What wisdom can you carry forward to prevent this from repeating? Every pain can become a gain.
L – Leverage It for Growth
Don’t stop at reflection — apply it. Use what you’ve learned to mentor someone else and design a better plan for 2026.
Life’s greatest lessons are often disguised as temporary defeats. The truth is, 2025 might not have gone as you planned — but that doesn’t mean it was wasted. You can’t rewrite the past, but you can reframe it.
The reflective leader doesn’t run from pain — they redeem it.
Reflection for the Week
What is one failure that revealed something you didn’t know about yourself?
