Thursday 30 November 2017

Success, whatever it is, is NOT the absence of failure.

Failure+success=SUCCESS 

I've conditioned my mind to take the word "fail" differently. 

In my academic and social life, I've tried many things and failed. 

Miserably in others. 

But I learnt over time that I was never a failure just because I failed to get that first job I applied to. 

I applied for postgraduate studies. 

Got admitted in some. 

But I couldn't raise the fees. 

I applied for that scholarship to finance it. 

I couldn't get it. 

I failed. 

 After university, I applied for a dozen of jobs. 

Failed. 

After my MSc I applied to be a lecturer in my former university. 

 Failed. 

After my postdoc I applied for several jobs. 

Failed. 

If I had kept a catalogue of failures, they'd overwhelm me. 

From an early age I learnt something crucial. 

Resilience. 

 That undying spirit that tells you that missing it this time is not the end of everything. 

And then I picked an important learning. 

Never fail, then fail to LEARN from failure! 

In other words, failure is an incredible tutor. 

Failure is a powerful mentor. 

Only catch. 

Learn from its wisdom. 

Pick lessons from every missed opportunity. 

Learn something from that which you did not get. 

Learn how not to fail from failure itself. 

So, whereas I fail many times I've programmed myself to not fail to capture the key learnings each time.

Scholarships in US & Canada (Mathew Birgen, Gilbert Kiprop & Maria Chemeli Sang)

SECTION 1.  Mathew: Theme - Graduate Schools in Canada (Social Sciences & Humanities)  ·         Choosing a program in graduate s...