Failure : The foundation of Success

I have failed more times than people have tried; and that makes me successful."

These words, spoken by a student who made it to Stanford, resonate deeply with me. They are a powerful reminder that failure is not just a part of life. It’s an essential ingredient for success. I find myself inspired by this young person's wisdom, and I’m grateful that more people today are recognizing the value in their struggles. In some sense, failure and success are mere tags to the experiences we? go through.? The tags also are more indicative of the mindset of the viewer or commentator than the person in journey.? Though for the sake of this piece, let's stay with the traditional understanding of failure or success.

Reflecting on that student’s statement about failure made me think: What would life be like if it were all smooth sailing? What would we do once we achieved success if there were no challenges left to overcome? The idea of success would lose its meaning without the contrast of failure.

However, there's a critical point to be made: failure should never be an excuse to reduce our efforts or diminish our willpower. On the contrary, failure should be embraced for the valuable lessons it brings:

• Failure sharpens your will - Each time you confront failure, you become more resilient and capable, preparing yourself for future success provided you take responsibility of the failure.
• Failure enriches your experience - The lessons you learn from failure are invaluable, ensuring that when success does come, it’s not fleeting.
• Failure provides perspective - The experiences gained through failure are not only useful in the moment but will serve you well later in life.
• Failure enhances your appreciation of success - When you finally achieve your goals, the journey you’ve taken, marked by its ups and downs, makes your success all the more satisfying.
• Failure teaches the true meaning of the journey - Success and failure are mere labels; it’s the process and the journey that hold the true value.

So, if failure is what life hands you, don’t just accept it, embrace it. Let it come with your blessings, knowing that it’s a step toward something greater.

“????? ?? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ????, ????? ???? ?? ???? ????, ??? ???? ???? ???? ??”

Khudi ko kar buland itna ke har taqdeer se pehle, Khuda bande se khud pooche, bata teri raza kya hai

Make yourself so strong that fate itself will ask you what you desire. This is the essence of resilience, and it’s a lesson that failure teaches better than anything else.

Sujatha Kshirsagar

IIM Bangalore, Class of 1995