Disappointment, we’ve all experienced it… you know, that feeling of being let down and somewhat defeated. But, did you know feeling disappointed in the short-term can be advantageous in the long-term?

I know, you’re thinking, come on Natasha, how in the world can disappointment be advantageous? Simple, disappointment builds-up your character and if you can learn to deal with your disappointment constructively, you’ll be a stronger person in the end. That’s a win in my book!

Recently, I dealt with a disappointment of my own. I had high expectations that something would work out in a huge way, but unfortunately things didn’t turn out as expected. I had to dig deep because for a moment I found it hard to deal with the unfulfilled expectations. Then I remembered there’s value in disappointment.

Here are 3 strategies you can use to turn disappointment into an advantage:

  1. Change Your Perspective. When something doesn’t work out how you imagined, that means you’ve successfully identified what doesn’t work. You can choose to be empowered, not paralyzed, by a disappointment.
  2. Remember Your Why. It’s easy to lose sight of your original motivation when disappointment sets in, but revisiting why you started can be just what you need to push through.
  3. Start Again. With a renewed sense of purpose and increased confidence, start again! You’ll notice a deepened sense of commitment and you’ll be your own biggest motivator.

As entrepreneurs, shoot, as humans, the issue isn’t whether we will have disappointments – it’s what we do when we have them. There is no magic wand, or special prayer that relieves of us ever having to FEEL let down. Acknowledge disappointments, accept them, process them, and turn them into opportunities.

Did you find this video helpful? Share it and together we’ll turn disappoint into our advantage.