Failure Apathy
January 28, 2010
“I’ve failed so many times before I succeeded.” We’ve heard so many famous and successful idols of ours say this have we not? I’ve always thought that I haven’t reached this point yet—that I haven’t failed enough, tried enough to get to the point of success. Recently, a couple weeks ago, I realized that I have already reached this milestone of success—I’ve just kept going, kept grinding—apathetic to failure.; however, being apathetic to failure may may be a double-sided sword…
Sigmund Freud was booed from the podium when he first presented his ideas to the scientific community of Europe. He returned to his office and kept on writing.
Thomas Edison’s teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” He was fired from his first two jobs for being “non-productive.” As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”
Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he succeeded.
When college first started, I went for everything that struck my business interest—organizations like Finance, Consulting, Freshman Business Internship, Entrepreneurship, and Investing. I got into the Blyth Fund–the investing organization on campus. It didn’t have an application. I received a first round interview for Finance, an interview for the F. Business Internship, and didn’t hear from Consulting and the Entrepreneurship (BASES). I kept going.
A month after those initial failures, I applied for a Graduate School of Business (GSB) Mentor and for a free opportunity to have an insidetrack coach. I’ve received a phone-interview for a potential internship with a start-up (www.rentalic.com)—my GSB mentor forwarded me the link. I’ve also received an interview for a potential spot on a Leadership Merge Team with SEE and Let’s get Ready non profit organizations. I’ll know if I get accepted within a week. I’m ready to learn anything my mentors or anyone is willing to teach. I’m ready to prove myself when given the opportunities.
We just had our 2nd meeting with our SHOC team (Study Hacks on Campus) yesterday http://studyhacksoncampus-stanford.blogspot.com/. I plan to help start a breakdance/fusion group on campus with a friend—-he’s getting held back in his current group now. I can’t stand seeing him in an atmosphere that limits his potential—WHEN he has the CHOICE to not be.
Negative side of Failure Apathy: Not learning from mistakes….
Early on, I was ignorant—felt superior to my failures. I did not fail. They failed me. Just apathetic. Recently, by reflecting on past failures I realized that my values and reasons were not clear enough. They just slipped away. Those values that I entered college with were forgotten—values like being family-oriented, humble, graciousness, and honest.
An expert said of Vince Lombardi: “He possesses minimal football knowledge and lacks motivation.” Lombardi would later write, “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get back up.”
Michael Jordan and Bob Cousy were each cut from their high school basketball teams. Jordan once observed, “I’ve failed over and over again in my life. That is why I succeed.”
Quote Source: http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/efficacynotgiveup.html
