Tag: high school

How I Turned My Failure Into Success

The author writes about how he failed in high school and still managed to complete his MBA years later in spite of other people’s negative remarks.

When I was in class 11 in high school, I failed and was detained for one year.

I was asked to change schools and study in class 11 again.

It was a failure for me. And I felt very bad about myself at that time.

I felt like I was not enough and that I was somehow flawed and not normal.

I remember a few remarks from my relatives about me failing one year and it stuck with me.

Whenever I wanted to feel good about myself, those remarks about failing one year would haunt me.

“How can I be a successful person knowing that I failed a test in class 11?”

“I am a failure because I failed in my studies.”

All kinds of negative self-talk started in my mind since then.

But fast forward 10 years, I have completed my MBA in Data Science. 

I have completed a post-graduate degree.

And I am proud of myself. 

I have persisted and not given up.

I have worked and I have achieved my version of success no matter the size.

My failure in class 11 set me up for success by making me more ambitious. 

After I failed in class 11 I wanted to show my relatives that I can do much bigger things. 

If they want to make me a black sheep of the family, I’ll show that I can be different in a great way.

That I can be different from them by getting an MBA degree and someday starting my own business.

And I know the importance of forgiveness and that it’s normal for those remarks by relatives. 

I do forgive them for what they said, and I also know that the fire inside me for greater dreams has been lit up and there’s no stopping now.

I am grateful for my failure in class 11 and my relatives’ remarks. Because they were fuel for my successes.

Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.

The Opening Sentence of My Autobiography

This author explains with a story why “This is the story of a lucky man…” is the most appropriate opening for his autobiography.

If I ever write an autobiography I would begin it with “This is the story of a lucky man…”.

Why?

Because it is the only opening sentence that could make sense.

I could begin with “The secret to success is hard work…” or “Don’t give up ever…”, but I think that “This is the story of a lucky man” is the most appropriate one.

Let me explain why.

When I was in class 11 in school, I couldn’t study. I simply couldn’t sit down and feel like studying.

I’d play video games from morning till midnight daily because I couldn’t study and this was my way to escape my boredom.

I was going to therapy but I kept changing therapists because I wasn’t satisfied with their counselling.

Four years later I started taking a degree course in Bachelor of Business Administration and I scored 70% in the aggregate results.

I was able to study sometimes and I believe it was due to the medication that my psychiatrist had given me.

And that’s how I also completed my Master of Business Administration in Data Science last year.

When I was in class 11 I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

I was lost and I didn’t realize it.

I was lucky to have found good psychiatrists and therapists.

Without them I’d still be helpless.

But it is not psychology, psychiatry or self-help that helped me.

It was luck.

I didn’t know that if I took medicine I’d be able to study.

But the events in my life forced me to take medicines.

I wasn’t voluntarily doing any of it. The universe helped me do it.

It’s as if the universe had chosen me to suffer and to heal my own suffering.

And I learnt a lot of lessons that way.

Actually none of us can take responsibility for our successes because none of us can explain the sheer amount of luck that’s involved in these processes.

So yeah I really think I would begin my autobiography with “This is the story of a lucky man…”.

Thank you for reading this line. It means a lot to me.

If You Have To Pretend, Read This

“Why am I sabotaging my success?”, I thought to myself on the day I was detained during my junior year in school.

I was pretending to be someone else. I had to pretend to be a strong personality, an extrovert and a smart person who could deal with bigger egos easily.

This was a new school in my junior year and I failed in my first year at this school and had to change schools later.

So basically after class 10, I change schools and I was unable to handle the new environment. And my study performance dipped and I failed class 11.

Why did this happen? I don’t know. But I know that I was pretending heavily to fit in, to avoid being bullied, to protect myself, etc.

I don’t know how to say it but I am still pretending even though the intensity is much less.

Also in my first year of college, I was pretending heavily to fit in. And I sabotaged my success again.

I made friends and I started fitting in by pretending. I did not set boundaries and I ended up self-sabotaging and dropping out of that course.

I used to think that I had to pretend because that’s what ensures survival and success.

But in a way, my self-sabotage was a blessing to me. I learnt to go within myself and grow self-awareness by journaling.

But pretending is not necessary for the long run.

Conclusion

Imagine working in an office. Would you pretend and stay under the radar just to save yourself from office politics and avoid unnecessary criticism for your ideas by keeping quiet? Or would you focus your energy on learning from the company, improving your skillset and giving your best work?

The latter does not allow pretence. The former option is a gold mine of pretence opportunities.

So if you have to pretend, let me tell you- it’s a trap.

Thank you for reading this blog post on pretence. A question for you: Do you pretend sometimes? If so, how do you reduce your pretence?