FAILURES & CHARACTER

Not the first time you have read or heard of this saying. Have you? Do you really believe in this?

Recently a very good old friend of mine had this as his status on one of the social handles. I have had in the recent past noticed that many a times the saying he uses as status are quite personal in nature as I see him using them in a very unique and confident manner which possibly is from his self-experience being an entrepreneur and business mind.

Business minded people think differently. You have to agree on that. Most of the times in today’s days that is year 2020 the business people are seen as the great thinkers as they formulate their own empires. Big, small of varying sizes. Generally, I see him as a thinking mind.

Well yes, generally! In whatever small amount of interactions, I have had I have found him to be a good orator, a clear mind and hence a clear thinker. This I believe is thanks to the many interactions he would have had in his own spear of his business dealings with his customers. Learning happens and it happens both consciously and unconsciously as well in equal measure. Some aspects we pick up with a clear conscious mind and others just come to us.

Character I strong believe and have had the experience, gets built in times of consciousness only. Let’s look at a simple example to delve a bit in detail. We do an activity. We expected certain outcome. This expectation at the very first instance is just an action, a gut feeling as it is said. We get an expected outcome. Great. We move forward onto the next action.

Sometimes though it is not that simple. The outcome is mostly partial of our expectation or rather an exact opposite. Its nothing that we could term a success in any percentage. It is hence termed a failure. Not a smallest of inklings on the path of success.

Now looking at these golden words of Billy Dee Williams who had quoted the nearest of the term I could find. I understand that his exact words were “Failure's not a bad thing. It builds character. It makes you stronger.” Unfortunately, what we come across mostly in popular culture is only the first two of the three sentences. Hence partially getting incorporated in many to most of the reciters.

So, what’s the problem you say? How does it even matter? The fact of the matter is, in this fast-moving world of split-second gratification knowledge is equally getting into similar realms. The motivation speakers that we all are (sic) we are able to influence and guide the thinking of many others. These many others often than not, believe whatever comes to their plates and that is the bane I have.

Coming to the point I made to my dear friend; it’s not the failure but rather the power to be able to self-introspect that builds the character. A person may fail but if they feel they were right that will never be able to build anything. Let alone their character but rather be its contrary.

Continuing with the main example we were looking at. On the failed first attempt if and only if, we have thought about the possible cause of the failure we may strive to at least do better the next attempt. That is subject to the fact if we do not expect the success on the very next cycle. This is the difference. This becomes the key differential in taking a learning out of actions of all kinds.

Building of character so to say is nothing but a cumulative set of these learning's. Learning which tends to make us milder and thoughtful as against to our rash self-righteous self-emanating radiating self (sic). Master Oogway is what comes to my mind when I think of a thoughtful, contemplating self that is prized to cast one as with every passing action. In fault also lies an alt-self, not in the past but only in the present-future.

So, what’s the keyword here – ability to introspect. This power when needed and if turned on helps us to alter the way we did the last action. And thence such tweaking might be good enough to get us to the right path that leads to success. It is not a course correction as against the modern-day pundits and the high-thinkers would want us to lap up on. Its but a mild nook; that the mighty river needs before it can come back as rapids and start afresh on its course.

A simple flowchart that may transpire could be as under

Hence my submission to each and everyone among us is not to be the one to lap onto fodder which has not been prepared for our needs. A saying is a piece of history. One does acknowledge that not all history is known and again the fact that history is different for different people. This fact again is possibly a wrong comparative to consider at this juncture. So, what could be the right way if paraphrasing this? On second thoughts someone at some point in time for some specific reason used those words. Hence unless that reasoning is not available with us, we may want to take a bit of time to use our grey matter and consider the logical ending that might be apt.

In simple words what I wish to put forth is create your own understanding. Read. Think. Ponder. Don’t just follow. It is honestly an interesting journey to undertake and very much self-gratifying; to know that you are taking your own steps in the best possible manner you have made yourself learn with your own acumen. Relying on hearsay and history is so boring and un-intelligent in a way.

The hero statement is part of the story. Failure is in itself an entity but not the end. It only remains to be; the reason which if used as a tool to open one’s mind to seek answers – i.e. the act of introspecting – will one stand the right path. Walking over it is a different matter but an important one. Think of the fact the way we use the GPS these days to find the path. Have you not in your own way relied on the GPS and got yourself to a dead end. Wouldn’t you agree? That you have brought yourself out of the predicament and reached your destination by relying on the tools available at your hand; since you opened your eyes in this world. Relying on your sight and senses. And the tons of mathematical calculations running subconsciously in your mind, you have reached your goal.

That is my takeaway from this piece for me to take.

Find your alt-self. Keep testing and altering. Have a great day ahead! Everyday!