Failure is the pillar of a success. One very famous orator has said that success is going from failure to failure to failure, without loosing ones enthusiasm. We really never fail until we give up trying; trying, with determination and with enthusiasm. Vision, real vision is to see the invisible. To feel the intangible and to achieve the impossible. Actually challenges or failures can be stepping stones or stumbling blocks on the road to success. It is all a matter of how we look at it. You can see a glass is half empty, you can see a glass is half full. One will bring you enthusiasm, one will bring you discouragement. We can apply that principle to every aspect of our life. But what is of real importance is that we know we are dong the right thing. We learn from our mistakes. A mistake is only a mistake if we fail to learn from it. Real leaders make many, many mistakes, but they do not repeat them. They learn from they, they remain enthusiastic; they remain determined for the goal. Actual champions in every situation, they are always focused on their goals. They make goals; and losers make excuses. Our life is what we make of it. Failure is very a minor stumbling block on the road to success. “Learn from the failures and you will be better equipped to work further. Failures build characters. Pressure is something, that only comes to one who earns it. We should respect pressures as an honour. We cannot be successful unless we have the courage to fail. And every failure contains the seed of success. To be successful in any venture of life is very difficult. To fail is very easy. It is very difficult to roll a stone to the top of a mountain; it is very easy to push it down. One may learn from our mistakes, one may learn from our failures, we become stronger, we have greater integrity.
Thomas Edison, he tried 8000 various experiments before he finally invented the battery. Later he was asked about it, his quote was: He wasn’t discouraged by all those 8000 failures. He said I at least I learned what doesn’t work “That is success” When difficulties, obstacles, pressures and even failures come into our lives, we should always be seeing the invisible, feeling the intangible, so we can achieve the impossible. We may not understand exactly understand why? But if we have faith, if we have hope,That is the substance of a successful man. Opportunity knocks, most people complain that the noise. We should see an opportunity in every situation, we never really loose until we stop trying. It is said that in the darkness a star shines the brightest. According to the Panchatantra there are three types of persons in performing their duties. The one called the ‘kanishta’ a person who does not begin an endeavor fearful that he may fail. The second person is one who endeavors, but turns back when obstacles and failures come on his path. That is ‘madhyami’ & Uttam, the first class man, is the person who keeps his mind fixed on the goal and he does not turn back, till he achieves it. I would like to give some examples in the secular society of how these principle applies.
There was a man, there was low grades, when he was a child his father said that he was a dog and he’ll never make a living. He wanted to attend Stanford University; he failed the admission exam two times. He also had a very severe lisp. His speech impediment and it took him years and years to overcome it. This man’s name was Winston Churchill. He became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the days when the sun never set on the British Empire. And in the secular world he is considered as one of the most famous orators of the 20th century. This was the man, who wrote a children’s book. He brought it to the publishers it was rejected 27 times. He actually came to the point when he was ready to burn the manuscript. This man’s name is Dr. Suez. The most world famous author of children’s books. He had 30 best selling children’s books in his life. And in the west every child grows up with them-even me. There was a man who got a job as a journalist. He was fired, his employer said – because he had no creativity. Then he started a cartoon company and in the first year he went bankrupt. That man’s name is Walt Disney, who practically founder of children’s films. Unbelievable success. There was a musical group, they audcioned and presented their music to Columbia records-and were rejected. To Décor records— rejected. To pay records — rejected. The Philips records — rejected, to ‘his master’s voice’ — rejected. This was in 1962, the name of that musical band was the Beatles. The most famous musical band in the history of the Western word. Practically any record they made would be number one in the charts. And there was a man who wanted to be a singer. In his high school, he got a ‘C’ in the music class and his music teacher said-“You cannot sing, give up the idea” His name was Elvis Presley. He was the king of Rock. And he is still considered the king of rock. There was a man who ran for President in his freshening years in college, he lost. The next year, what to speak of the president, he wasn’t invited onto the student councils, because people didn’t think that he was adequate administrator. His name was John F Kennedy. One of the prominent Presidents of The United States of America. Henry Ford went bankrupt three time in the first three years he entered the automobile industry. There was man named R.H . Mercy, who tried to make store in New York City. Seven times he went out of business. For the past 40 years one the landmarks of the New York city and the store where people from all over the world go to is Mercers Departmental stores. There was a man who failed as a real estate agent, failed as a farmer, failed as a customs agent and failed as a store clerk. His name is … S Grant. One of the greatest military geminates in America’s history and he became the President of the United States of America.
There was a man who due to mediocre grades was not eligible to go to U.C.L.A film school where he really wanted to go. His name is Steven Spielberg. Perhaps you have heard of him. There was a man, when he was in his high school, with all his might he played he couldn’t make to the high school basketball team. His name Michael Jordan ESPN named him the greatest athlete of the 20th Century. Here was a man named Fred Smith who was going to college;. in his Project he presented an idea for a business. He got grade C, which means an average. It is not impressive. But the same founded on the same Principles actually, just by activating that project that he failed, he founded the Federal of Express company. There was a lady, she wanted to be an actress, she got for 20th Century Fox after one year she was dropped because production Chief she said was unattractive, her name Merlin Monroe. She became beauty goddess of Hollywood; even to this day. Albert Einstein was not able to speak till he, not able to actually talk till he was 9 years old. Thomas Edison, he tried 1320 times before he finally got his invention of light bulb to work. And as I said before 8000 attempts before he got the battery. He never gave up. He kept his goal on his mind.
Never gave up. Don’t care for what anyone said about them. Don’t care how many times you fell on your face. Be willing to get back up and keeps trying, that is the substance of success. It is said “If you are not willing to go on the limb, you will never get the fruit.” Fortune favors the brave. Those who will take risks, those who never give up, those who learn from their mistakes, learn from their failures, correct them, in a very positive state, do not get discouraged. Maintain enthusiasm and hope.
Failures as stepping-stones to success, or it can be a stumbling block. It is all matter of how you perceive it. In the Bible it says that: if you have enough faith, the size of a mustard seed, you can tell the mountains to move into the ocean and the mountains must move.” Faith can move mountains. It has been demonstrated, again and again by great personalities – whenever you are looser-don’t give up. Try to follow the spirit of the people who have won. Failure cultivates wisdom, character, if we have faith. Most of the time pople may tell you “ You cannot succeed” that’s a good excuse, but successful people don’t make excuses, they make goals.
To conquer without risk is to triumph without glory. Always remember this.
Thank-you!
