“Failure exists only in one’s imagination”
Few months back I read a wonderful article by Mr Kishore Biyani, CEO of the 5000 Crore Future Group. It was, published in the TOI daily and impressed me so much that I have, till today, kept a cutting and would love to share it with readers on my blog.
It says:
“Darr ke aagey jeet hai”- Conquer fear and you can conquer anything.
We fear failure because we fear criticism, ridicule and rejection. However the truth is that anyone who has been successful had failed at some stage of their life. From failure comes knowledge of what works and what does not; from failure comes knowledge that one begins a more determined attempt to achieve success.
As one grows up, there comes the realization that there is no standard measure of failure and success. It is a relative term. What one perceives as extraordinary success may be an ordinary accomplishment for another. What may be a failure today often turns out to be insignificant in the long run
It is a fact that in our society we ridicule failure. Rather than encourage people to take the road less traveled, we discourage them. There is encouragement to conform, to a set pattern rather than stand out in a crowd. That is why failing in an exam or a new venture is feared.
I don’t think setbacks, disappointments rejections and unsuccessful attempts can be called failures. They are steps to success. How one deals with a setback determines the success of the next step. A sudden setback can be seen as a brick wall. It can also be seen as a stepping stone. It’s the way one perceives it that determines whether an unsuccessful attempt turns into a failure. Absolute failure is about not trying to do a new thing; it’s about lack of conviction; it’s about giving up”
Mr Biyani, who ranked 20 in a class of 35 at school, is today regarded as the man who pioneered the retail revolution in India. He relates education not only to what is taught in classes, but strongly feels that learning about building relationships, business partnerships human behavior and social dynamics is just as important as classroom lessons to succeed in any field.
Why I am telling you about this great personality is because, when you are in your own business, you will see failures; but let this NOT deter you from striving even harder and looking at avenues by which you WILL succeed. Never give up is the slogan we must always carry with us. Who knows, one day you will be at the same level as Mr Biyani in your very own business from home.
A wonderful article. I am currently quite fearful myself, of opening my own lawfirm. Your article may have shoved me in that direction!