Failures are the stepping stones to success, it is said. But how many of us actually take the literal meaning of this phrase and incorporate in our daily lives? It is human tendency to feel down and out ,each time we fail to meet the desired target, despite putting efforts towards achieving the same. So here is a brief analysis of how to take failure in one's stride and move on in life.
The basic concept is each mistake is the birth of an idea. As one of our all-time great scientists Thomas Alva Edison famously said, “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work”.
One must understand that each time we fail, life gives us a chance to learn what went wrong, so that the next time we get down to work, we are one step closer to success.
A report in www.ezinearticles.com, takes a classic example to bring the point home.
The article elaborates on how the Wright Brothers, who were credited for inventing the aeroplane, worked on their ideas and cracked the mystery of how things could fly.
It is said that it is the power of collating their individual ideas and discussions, that led to the ultimate invention of the aeroplane. This however, was not an overnight success. It took days, months and even years for them to get their act together.
Had they stopped trying after the first attempt, we would have probably never knew that humans too could fly.
“They didn't experience a single moment of insight. Rather it was the culmination of many successive ideas over many months and years that resulted in their invention. One spark led to another and so on”, the report says.
So now that it is pretty clear that it all begins with a spark or an idea to be precise, the question arises as to how does one identify one among the million thoughts crossing our mind each day.
And if at all, one such idea strikes, how do we convert it into a million-dollar one.
The first way is to be patient. Patience never kills, it is said. Here, one should not rush through things or end up being frustrated when things do not work out. There is no substitute for hard work, so continue putting your best at the job, and work with small ideas, that would one day result in something bigger and unexpected.
Next, do not be a narrow minded person. Be open to ideas and suggestions from peers and others. Only if a healthy brainstorming session occurs,
As important it is to have frequent discussions, it is equally essential to allow one's ideas to be critiqued. There is no point of such a session, if one were to be closed on each's opinion and not allow its dissection.
So, allow your ideas to be re-interpreted and debated, that's when they get full importance. These will gain prominence only if taken up by others, who consider it worthy enough to do so.
Also, do not be dominating. Keep in mind that a successful project requires team work, where every member of the group must be given importance.
As the article subtly puts it, “When an innovation does happen, it is always surprising that no one individual would have thought about it”.
Do not fear modifications. There is no hard and fast rule that every attempt must hit the bull's eye in the very first time. If an idea does not turn out to be successful, there can be a million reasons behind it. Work on the same and analyse what went wrong, as only a 'miss' can result in a 'hit'.
