I Failed But Then I Sailed
I Failed But Then I Sailed
"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."
This quote fairly fits for people who have failed in their lives but never stopped and continued on their journey with the same zeal and courage with which they had started earlier. Life is not a "cakewalk" and it is always going to kick us and deliver us with roadblocks and obstacles but it's on us how we deal with different life situations. I think failure is "success in disguise", it's just like a milestone which indicates, how much do we need to drive ourselves more in order to reach our goals. People who leave their "playing field", because they have failed and now they are unable to hack their life problems and issues, should learn from people like "Charles Dickens", who have tasted breakdowns and collapses in life but still stood up and continued and have touched the highest stars of the sky. There are a lot of examples in history or even in people around us who have failed, were disappointed by lives, they were also heartbroken but they never lost the courage, lifted up their balls and were back in the fields again and operated in the fields till they "brought down the curtains". I think success is not a one-day thing and you need to practice daily in order to obtain the outcome or results after a period of time. Crops or food are not obtained in one single day, a series of procedures are followed and there are also many setbacks. After a period of time, farmers get the fruits of their hard work. Hard work is also a crucial aspect in order to accomplish our goals. Short cuts may help you sometimes, but not always. Elevators help us to reach the other floor more efficiently and easily but there are times when they get stuck and eventually, we may also land "in a standstill." But on the other hand, if we take staircases, it will surely lead us to our desired floor. Yes, it's true that it will take some efforts and there are chances we may even fall and triple on one of the stairs, but if we lift up and kept walking, we would surely be there, where we wanted to be.
This is a lesson from my life where I learned two integral morals-
- Anything is possible, as long as we have faith, burning desire, and is ready to do hard work.
- If you kill the time, time will kill you.
I was in my 10th grade. Standard 10 is a very crucial class of a person's life. After all, an individual will be appearing for the board examinations for the first time, and your board exams do matter. Though I nor my family have been those people who forced into studies and raced before marks, my parents had always accentuated, "that if a person has the potential to do better and everyone is capable of doing everything, why not do it, why not execute it."Also, better grades help one to get into a good college or university of one's own choice. I am not telling that for being something in life or for becoming successful, you need better grades and A + in your subjects, there are a lot of examples of people who dropped off their colleges and universities and now became big names and are extremely astute. But I think when you secure good marks you feel great and jubilant about it, and this can't be expressed in words.
So at the beginning of the session, I had decided that I have to score well and secure decent grades in my board examinations. Although academically, I have always been a good student life long and my class rank was always between one to five. My teachers were at all times happy with me because I completed my assignments and home-works on time and ensured fine grades in my tests almost in every subject except for mathematics. I abominated this subject. I literally detested mathematics to death. And mathematics was a compulsory subject and I didn't have any choice. I wish I could trade it for any other subject but that was not possible. Only because of this one subject, my total aggregate dipped towards the south and I couldn't touch the 1st rank. The scores of my other subjects were fine but this one subject pulled the legs of all the others and pulled them down.
So in the beginning, I didn't felt the urge to study the subject, though I should have focused on the subject I ignored. I honestly studied the other subjects and avoided practicing the subject and mathematics is a subject of struggling, understanding the concepts, solving, and practicing as much as one could.
My pre boards were scheduled in the month of January, but due to some reasons, it was pre- pond and the school announced that it would take the tests in the month of December. we got this news at the commencement of November. We were mad at school for its a faulty decision but we did not have any other choice and have to sit for the examinations. I was relieved from the sides of other subjects but was scared and worried about mathematics. I was familiar with the topics but lacked ample practice and it is quintessential when we talk about mathematics. So the date sheet came out and we all become busy in studying. My syllabus was completed and now revision was left to be done.
Finally, the month of December came and my pre boards started. All my other exams went well and as expected and I was assured that I will score well in the other subjects. Mathematics was scheduled in the last and finally, the day arrived. I had auto-suggested that I had studied enough and I will do well, so I don't need to panic. I knew that this was just pre boards and I don't need to fear much. Like always, other subjects would save me and I'll manage to secure decent marks.
After a month, our pre boards results were announced. My parents went to see my result and collected my mark-sheet. On that day, I was praying to God to save me this time and ensure minimum marks in mathematics, and from now, I'll practice and focus on mathematics too.
My parents came back home. They were upset. I was afraid but agglomerated all my courage and went to ask them how was my progress report. When they showed me the mark- sheet, I was stunned and astonished. I was speechless for about some time. I had scored fine marks in all other subjects and managed to secure above 80 in other subjects but I failed in mathematics. I just got 19 out of 80 in mathematics. That was a red mark and a sharp fall in my scoring. I was aghast and felt agonized. I started to cry, but I am so grateful to God for giving me such an understanding of parents. They encouraged me and motivated me, I mean they were equally disappointed and upset as me, but they stood for me and tried making me understand, that this was just pre boards. I still have two months in hand. If I start practicing from now and put all my focus, I'll surely score at least some good marks. A ray of hope was ignited inside me and I felt I can do it. It's not rocket science. If I try I can do it.
So I started practicing, solving, and focusing on it from the beginning. My mother also helped me with my studies. I took breaks, I also relaxed but all within a certain time- limit. My mother had set a time table which worked wonderfully for me and I was able to do almost everything.
I am very much indebted to my parents because of their support, mentally helped me a lot. At last, the day of execution arrived. The day of my test arrived and I was so scared to death, on the day. I was shivering and my hands were precipitating. In the exam hall, I received the answer and question booklet and as we were asked to write, I started writing. I made sure that my f rightness does not affect my exam. I tried to solve every sum and problem with a cool mind and easiness. I had made up mind, that I have to clear this and this is my last opportunity.
After my exam was over, I knew that I had done well, and felt a satisfaction inside. Everybody asked me how was my paper and how did it go. I assured them I had attempted every question and I"ll score fine marks.
After a month, the results came out. I was afraid. I entered my roll number and other required details and the window opened. Initially, I checked my score of mathematics. I had got 73 out of 100. I was delighted to bits. I had secured above 90 in all other subjects, and my total aggregate was above 90 percent. I was so delighted. Everyone in my family was also very ecstatic. It was a festival like period. I know it was not above 90, but I was happy and satisfied with it. Two months ago, my score was just 19 and now 73, it was a big deal. My graph went upwards. Lastly, my hard work had paid off. I got the fruits of my hard work and efforts.
That day, I learned a lesson from my life and these life experiences become my biggest teachers and assets.
Two months ago, I was failing in this particular subject, and now I managed to score moderate marks. In the last two months, I had put all my efforts and hard work and I had a faith which was accompanied along with a burning desire that anyhow I have to secure good marks in all my subjects and especially mathematics.
If in just two months, I managed to score 73, where I had started from the beginning and though I also had other subjects to study and make sure that I gave equal concentration in all my subjects. If I had started learning and focusing on mathematics from the beginning, I could have managed to score above 90. I shouldn't have wasted time.
Time is the biggest asset in an individual's life. We should not waste time doing things that are not relevant to us. Instead, we should try performing activities that are beneficial and constructive for us. We should also give time to our hobbies and do fun stuff for our recreation and revitalize ourselves, but wasting time on nuisance stuff is "of no account".
Similarly, if we make our minds and are playing until "the ball is in our court", we can accomplish huge things in our lives. Nothing is impossible in this world, it's only up to us what we can make possible.
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."