How to keep positive

You will go on to achieve great things, but disappointment is a part of everyone’s life, so it’s important to accept that sometimes things might not go as planned.

If your results aren’t what you expected, or if you simply feel a bit down, our team of experts have just what you need: some awesome tips on keeping positive.

In this short film, our experts talk about keeping positive after a setback.

"It's really important that you prepare for disappointment, knock-backs, whenever you're applying for a job, for university, whatever it might be, because at some stage it will happen. The main thing I would say is to prepare for that, think about your positive qualities, think about what's good for you, and reflect on that whenever you get those knock-backs."

"People who are really smart and people who are really successful say that there's no failure, there's only feedback. If you feel that you've failed or if you haven't done things well, know that that's what athletes go through all the time. Be like an athlete, be like a hurdler. A hurdler is adjusting their stride pattern each time so even if they fell down in one race they'll pick themselves up, so see that that's part of you becoming even better and even better at what you do."

"If results don't go your way after exams, don't panic."

"Don't panic."

"Don't panic!"

"The main thing is that there is going to be an option for you and it's important to find out what that option could be."

"Sometimes things happen for a reason. You learn from things that happen and you actually develop your resilience and your strength within yourself to adapt and to change and to move onto a different path."

"I think in life we'll always experience knock-backs, and often education brings those kinds of situations around for us. The idea of being resilient, being able to bounce back from setback and handle things in as positive a way as possible is really important. If you do find that things don't go to plan, try to keep things in perspective. Reflect on your experience. What could you have done differently? Maybe there was nothing you could have done differently. Maybe it's just the circumstances that you find yourself in, but there are other options. Go and speak to a careers adviser, go and speak to people. You will have choices."

"Many people who end up being the most successful are often people who've had setbacks."

"There's a whole world of possibility out there and maybe the different path might be the one that was best for you."

How to bounce back after a setback:

Whether you’re applying for jobs, trying to get into university or studying for your exams, it’s really important to understand you might have setbacks along the way
This doesn’t mean being negative about your prospects, just accepting that some things might not go as you hoped or planned
Keep thinking about your positive qualities and everything you’ve achieved so far. A setback does not define you
There’s no such thing as failure, it’s just feedback. Be like a hurdler: if they fall down, they pick themselves up and start again, learning from their mistakes
Whatever happens – don’t panic! There will be an option for you, even if it’s not the exact one you were working towards
Sometimes things happen for a reason. You will learn from setbacks and develop resilience
Resilience is an essential quality in life. Ask yourself what you could have done differently – maybe the answer is ‘nothing’, sometimes things just don’t happen the way you planned them
Keep things in perspective! It might feel like the end of the world now, but what will it feel like in a month’s or a year’s time?
We’ll always experience knockbacks in life but, due to its nature, education can bring those around more often than you’d like. Just remember: the most successful people are often those who have had setbacks
Speak to careers advisers and teachers, but also do your own research. Knowledge is power and it can help you pick yourself up
There’s a world of possibilities out there. You might end up taking a different path, but maybe it will turn out to be the best for you!

How to keep positive

You will go on to achieve great things, but disappointment is a part of everyone’s life, so it’s important to accept that sometimes things might not go as planned.

How to bounce back after a setback:

Self-care and self confidence

How to keep positive vibes around results day

Need a boost to keep motivated?