We have high hopes, especially when young, before relentless storms hit us. Soon most lose their footings and self-doubts creep in. Some do stand up and fight back with renewed vigor but for most it proves their undoing. Failure is a stepping stone to success – is easily said than practiced when our resumes are given the once-over by prospective employers! It is proves a poor second cousin to much touted success!
Our fears of failure prevent us from achieving our true potential. Some challenges do come with potential heavy cost, but most others are spurned due to our skepticism from past experiences there from. Though recklessness is never an option, calculated risk-taking separates the achievers from those who hardly try. Spotting the opportunities and going all-out with real resolve and zeal is only for the few. Some are leaders, others do as told. That is a reality with other species too!
While nature has its own reasons to separate the leaders from the led, we still have the power to fine tune our approach to life. It is never too late to make life-altering choices when opportunities present themselves. Agreed, rarely they do as they are supposed to knock only once; so we have to prick our ears for the faintest of knocks!
Failures deal a knock-out blow to our psyche and it takes a while to recover and find our balance. But, are we not experiencing failures and successes, one after another, in every day life? It is not an option but is part and parcel of life! We grit our teeth and carry on after a setback and it is soon forgotten. Even life-altering, life-threatening challenges come out of the blue, but we are able to adjust to them after some soul-searching like, why me among all others!
A psychological change in our mindsets to face both the imposters – success and failure – and treat them the same, to the extent our mental make-up allows us to do, will help us to carry on life with certain equanimity. When such an approach becomes a way of life, we can also punch above our heights without being afraid of falling down. The higher we rise, the harder we fall – does not also hurt much with the right attitude as the falls are well-cushioned!
We need to equip our children with the life’s harsh lessons learned from history. Whatever our achievements in terms of science and technology, some basics stay relevant. One that is evergreen is the alternating successes and failures. The earlier we are made aware of both, that they are opposite sides of the same coin, the quality of our lives improves. And also, the resolve needed to face the consequences of our actions, our choices.
With the faster pace of life, we need to equip ourselves better to face the relentless music. We need equanimity more now than at any time in history. It is a question of finding better wherewithal to ride the life’s rollercoaster that is now spinning at faster clip with each passing day. A basic survival skill, to face the incessant storms from everywhere as we get ready to take flight, hopefully, to a better future!