Never Forget your failures, Never Forgive your weakness!

"You'll never go anywhere, never make a name for yourself and never make any money."

How would it sound to you?

Especially when you’ve hit the rock bottom of your life. You’re into jobs, no fixed income, no sense of security…no respect. It’s another day into the fray; you are barely managing to waddle through the most treacherous and overbearing patch of your life. Desperately waiting, praying for a moment of respite. A moment of hope.

But then, “As flies are to wanton boys are we to the gods, they kill us for their sport”

In short…life delivers a knockout punch!

You are down, Yes.

Can you get up? It is up to you.

Let’s start from the beginning

This note was written to 'Vince Papale' by this wife before leaving him, forever. At a time when Vince was in The Pits. ‘A nice guy-but a nobody’, working as a part time bartender, nightclub doorman, and substitute teacher. Barely managing.

At that moment, I am sure he would have felt like a pugilist incessantly exposed to a vicious onslaught of blows from his opponent. Jab, uppercut, hook.

Each hit, each contact voraciously gleaning away the very last drops of hope.

‘Some miracle will happen.’ It doesn’t!

But in spite of what life threw at him, Vince took charge, debuted for the Eagles at the age of 30, effectively becoming the oldest rookie in the history of NFL without previous experience at the university level. He played 14 matches each in 1976 and 1977, and 13 in 1978.

In short, he rose from the ashes like a phoenix!

What Inspired him? What kept goading him? It isn’t hard to imagine, is it?

He didn’t forget, didn’t forgive.

Never forget, Never forgive!

Never Forget the most taxing moments of your life because every time you re-live that moment it will push you to give in your best. Never Forgive your shortcomings, because they lead you to your failure.

Vince Papale’s shortcoming…He was a nobody at that time!

So, you failed at an interview… because your understanding of the subject matter was below par. You failed at a pitch… because your grasp on numbers was unimpressive. You got fired from a job…because your performance was just average.

'Your understanding'

'Your grasp'

'Your performance'. Get the point?

This is the most potent growth hack!

Success stories, rags to riches accounts, self-development seminars, talk shows will give you a short time high. A cup of espresso can do that too. But they will not drive you, not goad you, not push you. The only thing that will pull you out of your darkest, loneliest pit will be your desire to never get into such a situation again.

Remember how you felt. Understand why you failed.

Improvise, Adapt and overcome!

For the record

Never forget, Never forgive isn’t a call for becoming vindictive or malicious and mark others as a reason for your failure. It is about taking charge of your life. Taking onus of your faltering and plotting corrective course of action.

Remember: "You can go anywhere, make a name for yourself and make money."

(P.S.: If taking onus for your actions and taking charge of your life has worked for you, I would love to hear your story. So please feel free to contribute.)