#storyoffailure

[gaurav-jai-blog]

What I learnt when I failed

Success stories are always enchanting. The fascination of success keeps us away from the fuel of that success. That is – “the string of failures”. I think success stories should be called- ‘The story of failures that lead to success’. Every great thing ever happened to mankind is the result of experience and knowledge gained from failures. Be it the invention of the bulb or penicillin or plastic.Failures are the best practical teacher. I am going through the things I learnt when I failed.

1. I learnt to overcome the disappointment of failure-

When you fail, and you fail big, it feels like the end of the line. It feels like everything you once hoped for dreamed for is now completely out of your reach.It takes an emotional toll on you. It breaks you mentally, and spiritually. Even Psychology, today, confirms that it is painful like hell. But I needed to learn that it is not over yet. It will not be over ever. It is my fight and it will be here till I am there ready to fight. I just need to get up back and fight for myself.

2. I learnt to review my plans-

We need to create a plan in order to succeed. But not just creating one plan and never changing it is going to work. Failure, you just faced, is the sign that you need to review your plans and revise your approach.

3. I learnt how to stand alone & find my strength –

The world around us is all sweet and kind until we are pretty successful. But once you start failing it turns you down. You find rarely anyone around you who is concern about you, not your success. This is the time to find your real ones, ones where your strength lies. It also teaches you how to stand alone and get rid of crowd. Piyush Mishra has said regarding this-

Dard ki baarishon me hum akele hi the , Jab barsi khushiyan na jaane bheed kahan se aa gyi. {Translation - I was all alone in my struggles. At the time of victory, the crowd was around me}

4. I became financially more aware –

Every major failure helps you look at money in a different way. You are forced to improve your perspective on all money-related. There are some moments when money matters the most. Although it looks dirty to say but it is quite real.

5. I learnt to look at obstacles differently - 

We are an instant gratification society.We want things and we want them now. We are somewhat similar to babies and toddlers in that respect. It is part of the psychology of our mind because we are born solely with the Id.

But when I failed, I began to realize that good things don’t come overnight. I have to work hard to accomplish my dreams and realize my goals.

6. I lost the fear of failure -

Our whole life is an “Epic memoir of failure”. When we born, it took several efforts to say our first world correctly. We fell hundred times in the process to learn walking properly. Even smallest of things we learnt are the result of our quality of embracing failures and learning from them. But as we grow older, our fear of failure grows with us. That fear keeps us away from trying new things and ultimately being successful. But once we fail big and we fight back from that failure, we lose that fear of being a failure. It gives us the inspiration to give a shot to new things. As it is beautifully said-    Kyon darein zindagi me kya hoga ,    Kuch na hoga to tazurba hoga.               – JAVED AKHTAR

{Translation - Why do we fear the consequences? If nothing good will come, at least we will get the experience. }

7. I realized that success is not everything –

 It is almost a sin to say that, isn’t it? But when you fail, and you do so in a major way, you come to realize that success is not everything. That is especially true when your values are not aligned with your goals.

Sometimes failure shows us the reality whether the things we are wishing for are really good and required for us or not. This is a question we don’t ask ourselves till we are getting success.

Whenever successful people are asked about their success stories, they always point towards their string of failures. But the amalgamation of pain and joy of those sleepless nights and barrels of sweat and blood can’t be explained in words. The shine of money and fame, which comes along with success, makes the world blind enough to not see those herculean efforts.

So I learnt to just open my arms and embrace the uncertainty of future and just keep on working for my dreams.

-Gaurav Jaiswal