失败其实并不可怕

Success often breeds arrogance; one of the benefits of defeat – and there aren't many – is that it tends to produce a humbler personality. Most of us are more rounded characters for having got things wrong. I read recently that executives should not consider their work done until they have tackled a turnround. Those who have overcome adversity are likely to be better equipped to deal with such challenges than someone who has sailed along without even a hiccup. A pummelling toughens you up, makes you fitter for the next engagement. And as long as you don't cave in to disappointment, recovery is always a possibility.

Big wins early on can be a curse. They may give you the impression that everything else is a downward trajectory. After all, no one wants to be labelled

a has-been.

One of the cures for this disease is the ability to adapt your expectations and reinvent yourself if the door has slammed shut on your first profession. There are many sorts of hero, and most of us have more than one skill. The danger of obsessive specialisation is that

if that field dies, where do you go? I hear of former financiers, fired from their bank and fed

up with the City, who are retraining as schoolteachers. Now that I admire.

Switching disciplines can be a tonic, but complete withdrawal from the fray must be avoided if you are to make progress. Action is the antidote to despair. Equally, self-pity is harmful. Focus instead on building a mutual support network, finding a new mission, and discovering ways to add value all across the waterfront.

Just as bankruptcies never happen just because of bad luck, so a rebound is not simply a matter of chance – it requires industry, motivation and intelligence. So, whatever your misfortunes, you should endeavour to stay busy and bear in mind that everyone gets another opportunity or two if they keep trying.