Develop a strong compassion for yourself: understand that we always are growing, even when we know we aren’t.

We all fail, fall short, miss the mark, or blow it from time to time.  The key is to fail forward.  Mistakes, missteps and errors in judgment aren’t terminal unless we give up.  Learn the art of progress vs. perfection.  When we learn from our mistakes we can see them as part of the process, a good and necessary thing for our continued development which leads to our future success. 

When hiring people, I value street smarts and challenging backgrounds that have been overcome vs. the stellar resume and Ivy League education.  I can teach the mechanics of the industry or job, but there are other things that only hardship and life can teach.  Knowledge can be gained through a textbook, read from a book while in a comfortable chair in front of a roaring fire.  Wisdom is grown out of pain inflicted by walking through the fire.

Learn to apply some compassion toward yourself when you feel like you are going backward.  It is only then that you can learn the lessons and move forward.