When I look back today from my successfully perched career as an entrepreneur of a fast-growing company, I can’t help but contemplate all those times when failure hit me because it was because of them that I found within myself, a fighting spirit that turned out to be so crucial in fueling my entrepreneurial journey.
These failures appeared enormous when they occurred, but inside each of them, was a lesson that taught me something substantial about how to approach things in the right manner.
You Define How Big A Failure Really Is:
For over a decade, my career progressed quite well. I started working earlier than most people around me. I won’t say it all came easy. I faced my share of huddles to grow in my career, and like any normal person, I assumed these were the days of struggle. But, time passed, and things started to change. I still remember when for the first time, I was given a team of my own to lead. It was all up the hill from there. I guess you have to go up to really understand the feeling of falling down.
I was working in a top, C-level capacity at a tech firm, life was going great, but one day, the firm went down, and I found myself jobless. This wasn’t a conventional rejection like getting fired or getting turned down from a job I applied for, this was an entirely different kind of rejection, one where you were not in control of your own career and fate. This hit me hard, and it made me realize how temporary things actually are.
This incident changed my life forever. I knew that it was only a matter of time. I would find another job very soon as I didn’t lose this one because I did something wrong, but I never wanted to go down this rabbit hole ever again. No job, no matter how amazing it might be, could give me peace of mind or make me feel in control and the drive. I think this was the point in my life where for this first time, I knew I needed to do and be more.
Failures Are Deja-Vu For Those Who Don’t Change Their Approach:
The incident mentioned above turned out to be the turning point in my career as I then took the plunge and became a full-time entrepreneur. Now, I run several companies in multiple capacities and certainly, there has never been a more liberating experience that I’ve felt in my entire life. I never knew that I actually feed off of the adrenaline and drive to collaborate with underdogs like me, who come through as no one else does.
Falling down right from the peak of my career and starting my own company from almost nothing enables me to be as fearless as I possibly can. I see the big picture now. A 9 to 5 can never be enough anymore. What keeps me going is the impact I see my actions creating.
Setbacks can sometimes present you with wonderful opportunities, so don’t consider small opportunities as worthless as they present you with the biggest chance to prove yourself. It turns out when nothing makes sense, and you feel like everything is taking you a step back, but just a small shift in perspective can change your life forever, mine did.
My Mantra – Keep On Going:
If you are waiting for things to settle down in your personal or professional life, leave the days of struggle behind you, then the wait may never end.
It took me some time and some not-so-great experiences to learn that the struggle never ends. And people who find a way to keep on tackling their hurdles, which are open to learning, growing, and evolving truly bring the change they want to see.
I have lastly gotten to the point in my life where I am excited to see what the next day brings for me. I am in a never-ending search for more people, experiences, entrepreneurs, hustlers, markets, industries, and anything else that I can impact and bring a change for the good.
If you think you are stuck in a rut and you are seeking the bigger purpose, go for the alternatives that make you uncomfortable and question things. But, make sure you see the ideas and goals through, because it’s only going to end with the desired outcome or an exciting story to share.