Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying:

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”

But when it comes to your career success, perhaps the better spin on this famous quote is:

“If you want to succeed, plan to fail!”

Huh?

Think about it for a minute. How many of us take an absolute linear path to success? The answer is “zero.” No matter what field you’re in, and no matter how talented you are, stuff happens:

• Your company may reorganize, close down or change directions.
• You may be unjustly passed over for a raise, promotion or new job.
• Economic changes, employment conditions and even individuals can create obstacles to your career growth.

The truth?

Threats to your success are everywhere. Whether you’re trying to land a new job or advance within your current company, circumstances and events are frequently outside your control. But while you may not be able to control what happens to you, you can absolutely control how you respond to it.

And the better prepared you are, the more effectively you’ll respond.

So if you want to succeed in your career, prepare to fail. Here are three tips you can use to identify potential threats to your success, so you can respond in a constructive way:

Check Your Ego

When it comes to failure, your ego may be your own worst enemy. Defense mechanisms like denial and “mental editing” could keep you from viewing tough situations objectively – and from ultimately developing he best responses to failure.

Brainstorm the Ways You Could Fail

While a “doom and gloom” approach sounds unhealthy for your mindset and your career growth, a little “disaster scenario” planning is actually quite positive.

Imagine yourself pursuing your career goal (whatever that may be). What missteps could you make? What external forces could jeopardize your ability to attain your goal? What else stands between you and success? Create a list of scenarios that could throw you off course or prevent you from achieving important milestones along the way.

Create “If-Then” Response Plans

For each of the threats and obstacles you identify, detail options for course correction. In other words, create a response plan that addresses each of the ways you could fail to achieve your goal. Here’s an example:

Goal: find a job with target employer

Potential threat: receive no response to job application

If-then response: If no response is received after two weeks, then:

• Call HR to find out about the job’s status.
• If the job is still available, find out the name of the hiring decision maker.
• Reach out via email to the decision maker, restating your qualifications and desire for the job. Request an in-person interview.

Planning for failure sets the stage for more effective response and course-correction – and ultimately, greater career success!

Plan to Succeed with Exact Staff

Whether you want to improve your work situation, explore a new career or land a job with your target employer, Exact Staff can help. Search jobs in your area or contact an Exact Staff recruiter to get started.