while (!failure) failure>success.

If you have integrity, nothing else matters.

If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.

- Alan K. Simpson

You know, at the end of the day, you really learn a lot more from failure than you do from success. Its simple. When you find a method that doesn't work, you start searching for one that does.

On the way you gain an understanding of how things work. You observe your actions and their consequences - disattached from both, and with a lot more objectivity. You understand that the failure won't define you. You learn to respect both success as well as failure, and you learn to fear neither.

If you go deeper, you might even realise that success is, but a word. That when you weren't looking deep enough, it was something big, but when you did, you realised that (in the general sense of the word as used by the society) its just society appreciation.

So while to one person, success maybe appreciation from the society, to another, it could just be a sense of satisfaction in what they do.

And I'm not saying it as a justification for my own share of failures. (which are ample)

Its more because somehow I've seen so many people who are essentially non-failures, but vey often, because of that, behaviourally challenged.

When they come in contact with "success" and not enough failure, they basically become aware of the fact that they did something right. I mean come on, they're getting appreciation! They must have.

They start sticking to a set of actions - those leading to success - without much regard to else. Without questioning much, without understanding or observing much. They become trained.

Eventually, it becomes a game of judgement. They no longer define themselves by much other than the society's assessment of them, and they dole out that same judgement to the individuals in that society.

At this point, they might adapt either of the following two behaviours.

1. Either they start to believe that they're infallible. It leads to egotism, selfishness, a genuine belief that they're a better product than the rest, that the rest are dying to be in their place - possibly a superiority complex. ie - they act like a stupid jerk.

I know a guy. He loves himself so much, its amazing.

2. Or they find some outside source to credit for their success and develop strong fears of failure.

I once knew this lady, professionally very successful, but lunatically God fearing/worshiping. It was almost as if she feared that if she didn't keep it right, her pyramid of cards would fall. She had such defined boundaries of whats right and wrong and it so was constricting. To her and those around her.

Either way, point is, that they believe there's only one correct way of living life.

There are infinite.

Taste failure before success once. You'll handle it better, plus it'll be sweeter.

PS- Its ironic how my end term exams start tomorrow! :P