Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success

Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhaata Chala Gaya

Har Fikar Ko Dhooein Mein Udata Chala Gaya Har Fikar Ko Dhein Mein Uda  

Barbadiyon Ka Shok Manana Fizul Tha Manana Fizul Tha-3

Barbadiyon Ka Jashan Manata Chala Gaya-2 Har Fikar Ko Dhein Mein Uda  

Jo Mil Gaya Usi Ko Muqaddar Samajh Liya Muqaddar Samajh Liya-2

Jo Kho Gaya Mein Usko Bhulata Chala Gaya Har Fikar Ko Dhooein Mein Uda  

Gham Aur Khushi Mein Farq Na Mehsoos Ho Jahan Na Mehsoos Ho Jahan-2

Main Dil Ko Us Muqaam Pe Laata Chala Gaya-2

Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhaata Chala Gaya

Har Fikar Ko Dhooein Mein Udata Chala Gaya !!! - Mohd Rafi

This is my anthem and all time fav Bolly ditty. My choices in life resonate with the lyrics as it is a hand me down from my Dad.

With CBSE Boards approaching, a Principal in a school in Damam has specially put out a letter to parents urging 'the parents not to “take away the self-confidence and dignity” of the students if they fail to score high. Further, also tells parents to assure their kids that they will be loved and not judged, irrespective of the outcome of the examination.'

I hail from a tribe where we regard Academic Excellence as a mark of character and worthy of respect. Growing up in a salaried middle class family, under the eye of Doabi Rajput parents, there is a dictat of unwavering focussed attention on scholastic aptitude for kids. My mother went to an extreme of declaring that I donot mingle and play with dullard students!! I went to the same Convent of Jesus & Mary from kindergarten till Tenth grade, so over the years you are friends with the entire batch. I took care to never let out a pip at home, if I had a play session with an academically weak student, and took even greater care to ensure that my Weekly Grades donot slip, lest my Mom find out!! In St Annes, we had Personalised Education that honed natural Leadership Skills. The teachers grouped weak students with a strong one, so we could teach each other in work and play. We had Activity Time and Projects/ Science Clubs where the Teacher was a background Mentor and the students figured out on their own!

In the clan, every kid grows up under the shadows of the elders with their Scholarships, Medals, Doctorates;  thereby falls into line by ensuring that he / she does not break the tradition, and get out caste as a black sheep! The brainwashing starts young, wherein from the time we open our eyes, we are surrounded by scenes of family preparing for competition entrance exams, shelves displaying certificates. We grow up in an environment wherein our profession, by default, is announced even before we figure out how to spell it. ALL of us just make sure that we tow the line. On the few occasions where I went to a college to enquire about their PhD admissions, I found it really silly when someone enquired "Why do you want to do a PhD?!?!" All I can say is … "JUST ….".

While doctoral research is still a far off dream as I chase money in salaried jobs I pursue my passion for Project Management. PMs take great pains to ensure Zero Failure Rate. As a gut instinct we build foresight to pick probable areas of vulnerability and define mitigation plans in advance. In Tata Communication, and in my last assignment in Makers Lab Campus Connect I chose 'to celebrate failure'. As a part of the Onboarding /Induction talks I told the Student Scientists to NOT get frightened of a declared failure. So long, as we could draw out an insight, so long as we had learnt a lesson, so long as we were ready to move on, my belief is that it was worth the efforts! The focus should be on Acceptance and Acknowledgement rather than sinking into Defense and Rejection. If we Fail Fast then we can Recover lost ground and are ready to get back in the running! Emotions should be experienced, so the natural path of Remorse, Fear, Reprimanding, should be followed up with Repairs! As the next step a Contingency B or a Contingency C should be visualized and ready for execution.

In the Induction Programmes, I spent a good one hour focussing on how Failure meant that you are ready to explore the next round! It was not a Dead End, it was meant to be a diversion, onto a path that you were blind to earlier! A Detour can only enrich the experience, and not negate it. Shattering into a hundred pieces would result in the end of the road of progress. Assuming that even if a person hit rock bottom, the only other way to go, would be to RISE! So, FAILURE, by all means should be celebrated. I learnt the hard way that internalising grief may result in psycho-somatic disorders that manifest in a physical form of disease in the long run. Having adapted to REIKI I switched philosophies of being grateful to every moment for whatever it was worth, as it had added to my experiences in life.

My young team members and Interns, adapted quickly and learnt to fearlessly loop me in fast incase things went downhill. We changed gears followed a different path, and learnt to deliver in short time frames. Yes there are times of head on collision, wherein a Senior Management may disagree and thereby give rise to conflict. My tip here is .. to give a fair chance and deliberate over the matter. If it remains a No Go situation, then change tracks! Life is too short to conflict in vain!

The Sardarjee and the Bawajee in me has had a lifetime of learning .. wherein .. good times .. bad times .. you still clink gilaassees and say "Cheers to Life .. Majaa Nee Life!!"

Cheers

Jugnu