o5s28

...Failure - Good or Bad?...

Failure is a topic most of us would want to avoid, but of course, it is difficult to do so. Those who have tried and failed often feel ashamed and discouraged, which causes them to give up. However, if we bear in mind that all human beings make mistakes, then failures should not be unusual to anyone.

Besides that, failure often adds ‘spices’ to success and makes it taste better. An example is the 3M Post-It Notes. The inventor originally wanted to produce an adhesive that would make the note stick permanently to a surface, but failed as the note could be peeled off. Then, someone else came up with a different use for the adhesive, and it is the Post-It Note that we are using now. So, the lesson to be learnt is that each failure should be a ‘drive’ to try a new approach. A failure should push one to succeed instead of feeling disheartened and give up.

History has proven itself. Our achievements to date have been often the result of human beings learning from their mistakes and failure. For instance, Thomas Edison invented the light bulb after 3000 failed experiments, but he looked upon his failures as a learning experience.

There are many stories of people who have accomplished much in spite of the difficulties they faced. An example is Helen Keller. She was born without having the ability to speak, hear and see, but she never gave up. She overcame her disabilities and went to university. She even became a prolific writer and educator. Her life story is depicted in the movie ‘The Miracle Worker’.

Failure and hardship are part of human experience. If you have read about the lives of great men and women, you will often find that they have faced failures many times. In fact, very few great men and women have not gone through failure. The greater the impact of the failure, the greater these great men and women become when they rise above the obstacles. For example, Nelson Mandela who was a political detainee for more than 25 years, was never bitter, and became the president of South Africa at the age of 76.

Besides failure, hardship is another experience which yields great returns. Hardship is like the process of polishing a diamond. A diamond from the mine is unremarkable, but after polishing, it sparkles and is prized for its beauty and value. So in life, we need to got through hard times to become strong and beautiful human beings.

It is not wrong to say that people who achieve success after experiencing hardship and failure are in a better position to empathize with the plight of those who face difficulties in their lives. Often, this empathy is expressed in charitable works or in helping others. Some examples are the pioneers of Singapore, such as Tan Tock Seng and Lee Kong Chian. Lee Kong Chian once said, “Opportunity will fall in the way of every man but not everyone will use it.” So we must treasure each and every opportunity we have, as most of the time, it only comes once.

If life comprises nothing but success, we would fail to maximize our full potential, but at the same time we cannot allow failure to overwhelm us. Instead, we should learn from our failures; only then, can we overcome them. the difference lies not in the failure itself, but more importantly, in our perception of failure and our response to it.

Also to be considered is how we personally measure success and failure. Is success always equated with great material wealth with material poverty? If success is only that, then why are some of the wealthiest people in the world so unhappy? Failure to achieve great material wealth is not equivalent to failure in life. We have other areas where we can make contributions that will make a positive difference in our own families, in our community, in our country and even in the world. What is it that makes us feel successful? Perhaps, we need to study the life and wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi did not die a wealthy man. In fact, he died owning almost nothing, and yet, he made a big difference to the world. He also once said, “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory.” But the funny thing is, when there is full effort, success often follows as the bright day dawns after a dark night.

One of the best definitions of success is that it is a day-to-day progressive journey towards a pre-determined worthwhile goal. Remember, to see success as a goal in life. But in life, should you meet with failure, you should look at it as a lesson to be learnt, and as an opportunity to seek new approaches. Finally, always look through the eyes of hope and not through the blindness of despair.

[J]in [L]in
*i wrote this when i'm sec 3 as i'm in Kranji Press (an Entrepreneur Club) back then.. e content is taken fr a speech made durin prize-giving day.. i find it very meaningful bah.. e original speech is longer though..

posted by 05s28 @ 8:40 PM