When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
Dalai Lama
Failure is an essential hurdle en route to success. It is a timely wake-up call for us to reconsider our plans or to simply strengthen our resolve. It not only keeps us grounded going forward, but also makes success all the more savory.
Let’s face it, failure is the front runner to success. No successful man can claim not to have faced defeat in his life. In fact, it were these setbacks that served as pointers for them to course-correct and fine-tune their strategy to the circumstances. And that is precisely why defeats are both inevitable and critical – they are a timely reminder that we need to change our approach to get where we set out to be.
Unfortunately, most people let their failures go in vain. Instead of looking at them as an opportunity to change their way of doing things, they begin to look at it as an indicator of their inability to accomplish their goals. Some people even go a step further and regard it as a conspiracy against themselves. They let their pride get in the way of their dreams. As a result, they keep making the same mistakes, leading to one setback after another. Ultimately, they resign themselves to the fact that they probably aimed a bit too high to begin with.
Remember, no worthwhile dream involves a straightforward path. Arguably the biggest lesson one can take from failure is to take responsibility for it. You cannot possibly change the way you approach your goals until you accept that you were headed the wrong way and that a change of tactics is in order. This will not only help you come up with a better game plan, but also fortify both your character and resolve. And this will hold you in good stead for both a successful and virtuous life.
Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. Known for his sublime views on life and success, Dalai Lama once quipped: “When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.”