There’s an old expression that metaphorically captures the essence of resilience: Dancing between the raindrops. It describes someone who persists even as the storm clouds gather, someone who seemingly dodges the raindrops and keeps a light heart despite adversity. Of course it’s impossible to dodge every rain drop — everyone is going to get wet eventually. But that’s the point — keeping a positive attitude even when you’re facing a tough challenge, or even when bouncing back from a failure, is the best way to take valuable lessons away from a defeat.

Jim Rohn is a person who spent his life thinking about the keys to personal and business success. He developed a philosophy that helped him become an extraordinarily successful speaker and trailblazer in the area of personal development. Writing in one of his blog posts, he says, “You probably have times when you thought you were doing what you’re supposed to do, but you were misinformed. You think you have it all laid out, but it just doesn’t work. You burn the midnight oil day after day, but it doesn’t seem to help. You just can’t seem to change the end result… These are the times when you have to be your own best cheerleader.”

In short, there are many ways to respond to a setback or a failure, but developing the ability to learn from a failure is the best way to ultimately succeed. Rohn goes on to offer two simple steps to develop an attitude that will serve you well your whole life.

“Take responsibility for the missed opportunity.” This is the absolutely essential first step. If you blame others or outside circumstances then you’re conceding that you have no control over the situation. You can’t change others, and you certainly can’t change the world. But you have complete control over your own actions and especially over your attitude. Rohn sums it up with a simple bit of advice: “Study your mistakes and learn from them.”

“Remind yourself that you’re bound to get better.” It’s hard to overstate the importance of attitude. If deep down you suspect that you’re only going to fail again, you’re beaten before you start. The past is the past and the future is yours. As Rohn says, “Don’t get down on yourself. Don’t beat yourself up. It’s the next opportunity that matters, not the previous one. The previous one matters only in that you must learn from your mistakes. But the next one gives you the opportunity to show that you have learned from your mistakes. You can do it better next time. You just have to practice. Keep trying until. If you figured out what went wrong last time, then you know how to make it right next time.”

It’s important to be your own cheerleader because you can’t simply hope for someone else to be your encouragement — even if you have a sympathetic spouse, no one knows your situation and your business as well as you do.

It’s also imperative to recognize that even as you bounce back, every step you take is not going to be the right one. That’s okay. No one executes a plan flawlessly without any mistakes. Simply acknowledge your error and get back on track.

If you sincerely believe that a failure or a defeat is actually a tremendous opportunity, then you’re well on the way to success. Of course no one wants to experience a failure or a defeat, but sometimes it’s the very thing needed to shake you out of a negative or unproductive pattern of behavior. Rohn describes the transformative power of honestly taking stock of your life. “In the face of adversity is when things begin to change, when you begin to change,” he writes. “With enough disgust, desire and determination to change your life, you’ll start saying, I’ve had it. Enough of this. No more. Never again! These words and these thoughts really rattle the power of time, fate and circumstances.”

Rohn end his blog post with a wonderful example of why he became an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker: “Make your failures give birth to great opportunity, not prolonged agony. Make your disgust lead to inspiration, not depression. The doors will open once you decide to get back on your feet and make your mark. In your own enlightened self-interest, give a run at adventure. Keep your eyes firmly set on achievement. Don’t settle for mere existence and self-pity. Make a commitment to excellence.”