It’s not how you fall, it’s how you pick yourself up!

I heard this quote before Christmas and it came from champion Irish flat jockey Mick Kinnane during an interview where he reflected on his decision to retire, having just won the 2009 Epsom Derby on the wonderful horse Sea of Stars. Kinnane ended his career with almost 1,500 winners and a string of victories on great horses across the world. It struck me that leaving anything whether it is sport or business is best done on a high.

His recollections were positive as he considered his success rather than his disappointments. He reflected on the importance of teamwork and the great success he had achieved. More importantly he looked to his future and how he would focus on training horses. It made me think of the many people who are leaving organisations now and often not by choice. Optimism and confidence is important in these situations. The ability to overcome initial disappointment and reflect on your past in a way that draws out the positives is a considerable strength. Taking the time to consider what you have learned, what you have achieved and the challenges you have overcome, can place you in the frame of mind for building a future rather than lamenting a past.

In his interview Mick Kinnane reflected on the highly competitive environment of the racing world, he recalled the physical effort and the dedication required to be successful. He also recalled the good luck and the great people he had met through his career. When asked by the interviewer how he dealt with the bad times, I was taken by his answer he said “it’s not how you fall it’s how you pick yourself up.” Such resilience is something that can be applied equally to our life in organisations. The resilience to maintain optimism, the resilience to push on through adversity. The ability to see the positives, move on from past mistakes and demonstrate resilience by our ability to overcome the bad times and look forward, not back.