THE GOODNESS OF FAILURE

Failure is not something to dread, rather it is something to appreciate. It teaches us valuable lessons. There is always a positive message in failures which we ignore at our own risk. Failure is not the plague which leads us to destruction. However the ways of the world are such that the contrary is accepted.

For one, failure teaches us humility. It grounds us to the basic reality of our life. Many a times we wish to overlook our reality and assume certain capabilities or talents, living as if in some dream. We take on undue volumes of stress in our life trying to live up to our high expectations. We take pride in our efforts banking heavily on the idiom ‘nothing is impossible’. Pride precedes a fall they say and sooner or later we have to stumble. Such a fall can either wreck or enhance our lives. The latter happens when we accept who we are with all our limitations and not so good characteristics. Humbleness shifts the focus towards our inherent weakness and makes us introspect. Humbleness tells whether to life with our weakness or to overcome it. It also tells us how to overcome it. Humbleness teaches us to appreciate all the minor goodness in others. Humbleness places us in the right perspective and shows us our true place in the world. Nature or God has created a place for everything and has a role for everything in its own place. When humans do not accept the regulation of nature, tries to take law in its own hand, they create problems for themselves and disturb the balance of nature. It would be better if we, accepting our lives, serve the purpose which nature has ordained for us and in the process create happiness and harmony for one and all.

Second, failure is the message which life gives us saying that something better is in store for us. The two very important guides which help us understand the message are; Nothing Happens Without A Reason and Whatever Happens, Happens For The Good. When we analyse our failure over a subsequent period of time, the facts never fail to dawn that we are better off because of our past failure. For instance, I have seen on one occasion that I was held up in a prolonged meeting unable to reach another scheduled meeting in time. After the first meeting ended where a lot was achieved I learnt that the second meeting was postponed for some reason not related to my absence. It requires patience, it requires acceptance, it requires a positive attitude, and most important of all it requires faith in our own life. Failures, not one but many, it is said are the stepping stones for success. Higher the destination, more the steps. Stronger the success, worse the failures. To go through such failures also builds strength of character.

There is a reason why I am writing this piece. For the past one year I have been trying to get an admission into some institution for further studies. First I tried social service and the institutions I had applied for were TISS and IRMA. No success. Next I tried for a PhD and the institutions I had applied for were IIM and IIT. No success again. I have not been able to get past the entrance test in two of the instances. Where I got past the entrance obstacle, they rejected me in the interview. The results made me sad no doubt. But life has other better plans about which I am not aware now. I am certain that the world is waiting for a Suman Bose to happen. Meanwhile I am learning humility now, the hard way. Strange are the teaching methods of life.