Sunday, August 21, 2016

What did you learn from failure?

I have shifted job since I last posted here, in the blog. Instead, I have been posting a lot on Instagram, tweeting a lot, retweeting a lot. I have even been writing on Medium now! I have been doing many things lately, instead of writing here :| This post is to put an end to this "jinx", though it was first published here.

Disclaimer: Theory ahead!

A teacher is of no use if you are not ready to inculcate the lessons being taught.

If taken in the right spirit, it is a blessing which lets you know “timely” that this is not for you and you should - move on. Channelize your efforts in the right direction. This applies to any kind of failure, be it in a career, in an exam, in a relationship, even in your own long worshiped thoughts or in whatever area you face the failure. For instance, a failure in an exam took me closer to a career more suitable to me. What looked like a disaster a few years back took me to something, which at present, I enjoy more at this moment. Something similar can be said for say, failure in a relationship which makes you realize your self-worth and takes you in a direction of what really suits you the best.

Mind you, I am not talking about giving up here, which is an easier option. This is when you give your heart and soul to your aim but all you get back in return is a door slammed in your face. It is then, that this failure redirects you to a path more suited to you. It reinforces the law of averages. In a way, it gives you time to re-evaluate and reboot yourself. Kind of, the market correction in the stock markets :) Looks bad at first but if the fundamentals are correct it helps you in the long run. The difficult part here, of course, is to take the lesson from this difficult teacher in the right spirit.

Keynes quotes that “In the long run we are all dead”. Similarly, history has proved time and again that on a time scale, failure is a very relative term. If Soichiro Honda wasn’t turned down for a job at Toyota, there wouldn’t have been the Honda we know. From J K Rowling to Charlie Chaplin. More google search can add to this list.

Life’s too short and there are too many beautiful things around, which you can ever know / visit / do in your life. Let the failure re-direct you to a better path awaiting you :)