Spring Break
Failure is not the end
As we near graduation, we must keep a positive outlook on the future
Nia Richardson
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Opinion
Since childhood, we have been conditioned that "no" is a negative word. When our parents said, "no, you can't have any more cookies," "no, you can't play in the street," "no, you can't stay out past curfew," it was the trial of our failures to get what we wanted.
The word "no" has always been a sign of limitations and restrictions, keeping us from doing what we want.
In our adult lives, "no" takes on a different connotation. Sometimes it may translate into our inability to perform a certain job. We are not interesting enough to a certain guy or girl. We do not make enough money to afford the car that we want. The after effects of hearing "no" or being rejected can be a bit more devastating.
Rejection and failure are a part of life. We will all deal with them in some form or another throughout our entire lives. It is how we deal with them that will determine our ultimate outcome.
The old saying goes, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Throughout our lives, our biggest rewards will come as a result of our willingness to persist. A big part of persistence is having a set goal. If we know what we want to accomplish, we cannot allow failures to hinder us.
Sometimes rejection is not necessarily a bad thing. We all have areas that we can improve upon. Unless there is some indicator of our shortcomings, we will never have the chance to work on those issues.
Rejection can also manifest itself as an opportunity. There may be times when we focus so much of our attention on the one thing that we want to accomplish that we allow other opportunities to pass us by.
For example, in 1985, Steve Jobs was fired from Apple, a company that he helped found and propel into a multibillion-dollar corporation. Instead of taking the low road, he saw his firing as an opportunity to found Pixar, which was the creative force behind the movie "Toy Story," a film that changed the way animated films are produced today.
Ultimately, he was rehired and powered Apple back into its current popularity. Failure does not always mean the end of success.
We all have different visions of success for our lives, but what we have in common is that they all will require passion and perseverance. When we do accomplish those goals, whatever they may be, the most important part of our victory is that we do not falter in the face of failure.
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
The word "no" has always been a sign of limitations and restrictions, keeping us from doing what we want.
In our adult lives, "no" takes on a different connotation. Sometimes it may translate into our inability to perform a certain job. We are not interesting enough to a certain guy or girl. We do not make enough money to afford the car that we want. The after effects of hearing "no" or being rejected can be a bit more devastating.
Rejection and failure are a part of life. We will all deal with them in some form or another throughout our entire lives. It is how we deal with them that will determine our ultimate outcome.
The old saying goes, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Throughout our lives, our biggest rewards will come as a result of our willingness to persist. A big part of persistence is having a set goal. If we know what we want to accomplish, we cannot allow failures to hinder us.
Sometimes rejection is not necessarily a bad thing. We all have areas that we can improve upon. Unless there is some indicator of our shortcomings, we will never have the chance to work on those issues.
Rejection can also manifest itself as an opportunity. There may be times when we focus so much of our attention on the one thing that we want to accomplish that we allow other opportunities to pass us by.
For example, in 1985, Steve Jobs was fired from Apple, a company that he helped found and propel into a multibillion-dollar corporation. Instead of taking the low road, he saw his firing as an opportunity to found Pixar, which was the creative force behind the movie "Toy Story," a film that changed the way animated films are produced today.
Ultimately, he was rehired and powered Apple back into its current popularity. Failure does not always mean the end of success.
We all have different visions of success for our lives, but what we have in common is that they all will require passion and perseverance. When we do accomplish those goals, whatever they may be, the most important part of our victory is that we do not falter in the face of failure.
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
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