Use this simple tool to take the sting out of failure

Cari Nazeer
Forge
Published in
Sent as a

Newsletter

Oct 26, 2020

Today’s tip: Track your professional setbacks in a spreadsheet.

Learning from the past is a lot easier if you have it all laid out in front of you. That’s why the writer Julia Pugachevsky keeps a spreadsheet of all her rejected story ideas: “Understanding where my energy goes (and when it pays off) is invaluable knowledge,” she writes, and “having a log of all my old ideas is actually incredibly useful information. I see the rookie mistakes I used to make, like not doing my research on an outlet and pitching too hastily.”

Keeping a reminder of your failures may sound cringe-inducing, but as Pugachevsky notes, it actually takes the sting out: On a spreadsheet, each stumble is nothing more than a neutral data point. And when the emotional weight of a moment is stripped away, you can start to glean the lessons it has to offer.

📚 More from Forge on out-of-the-box spreadsheets:

How Ranking Your Friendships Can Make You a Better Friend
Read more >>

Dump All Your Exes Into a Spreadsheet
Read more >>

The Ultimate Self-Improvement Tool Is Something You Already Have
Read more >>

The Forge Daily Tip is sent every morning via email. ☀️ Subscribe to The Forge Daily Tip here.

You’re subscribed to receive emails from Forge. You can adjust your settings via the link at the bottom of this email.

--

--

Forge
Forge

Published in Forge

A former publication from Medium on personal development. Currently inactive and not taking submissions.

Cari Nazeer
Cari Nazeer

Written by Cari Nazeer

Former lead editor, Forge @ Medium