Disappointment and expectation go together: The greater your expectations, the greater your disappointment. When we’re disappointed, the mark has been missed and along with it come feelings of anger, fear, and even sadness.
“Disappointment shows up in the gap between what we planned or hoped for and what we got. Sometimes that gap is a small fissure, easy to manage, and simple to bridge. Other times, that gap is a giant chasm, and it can feel nearly impossible to pull ourselves out,” says Deborah Grayson Riegel, contributor to Fast Company.
Whether you get passed over for a promotion or you blow a new business presentation, you know what disappointment feels like.
“It sucks our energy, our confidence, and our dreams,” Riegel adds.
You can’t dodge disappointment, but you can deal with it in a productive and successful manner. Riegel offers three strategies to manager disappointment.
Manage Disappointment in Your Own Way
Everyone handles their disappointment differently and there isn’t a right or wrong way. Some people try to look at it as the glass is half full, while others may be more pessimistic. Riegel suggests you take some space and give some space.
She says, “Don’t force someone to see your perspective immediately.”
Learn From the Setback
Think of a setback as an opportunity to begin again. It’s a process every person will face. Your setbacks and mistakes don’t define you. Your successes define you but each setback is a learning experience you can take with you throughout your career.
Riegel says, “Don’t waste the pain. Force it to yield you valuable personal and professional rewards.”
Put Yourself Back Out There
Don’t let your disappointment make you afraid to take risks or set undersized goals.
“When we set a low bar for ourselves as a way to feel safe and even victorious when we achieve those small objectives, we deprive ourselves, our companies, and the world of our excellence and brilliance,” Riegel says.
Disappointment isn’t permanent and there is no reason why you won’t find success again.
Disappointment is inevitable both in your personal and professional life. The faster you let go of the emotions surrounding disappointment, the faster you can get back to whatever is around the corner.
What helps you move on from a setback?
