In the late 1980s and early 1990s, board exam results were considered extremely important for securing a bright future. Admission to many engineering and medical colleges depended heavily on the marks obtained in these examinations.
I appeared for my board exams in 1990, but fell short of the marks required to secure admission to an engineering college. As a young student, I was clueless about what I wanted to do with my career. I moved to BSc and completed my graduation in 1993.
Later, I entered sales, but couldn't sustain the job. I then decided to pursue an MBA and joined a B-school. After my MBA, I joined media houses and eventually moved into advertising.
Looking back, it may appear that I was changing careers constantly. But in reality, I was searching for my path.
In 2004, I started my own business. It required enormous effort, and with a family to support, I also started working as a visiting faculty at B-schools. Again, it didn't seem like a straightforward journey.
But today, when I look back, I realise that every so-called failure was actually adding something valuable to my life.
Not securing the marks for engineering taught me that one exam does not define your future. The unsuccessful stint in sales pushed me towards an MBA and helped me build a professional network. Working with media houses gave me exposure and relationships. Working in advertising helped me develop a strategic mindset. Teaching at B-schools enhanced my knowledge, communication and mentoring skills.
And then came my business which taught me the most important failure lesson: our Juhapura store did not perform well initially. Instead of giving up, we were forced to think differently. We innovated, developed a franchisee network and eventually created a unique business model. What seemed like another failure became the trigger for innovation.
Today, I believe that sometimes when we face failure for a prolonged period, perhaps destiny is asking us to remain steadfast, think differently, learn from every experience and keep facing the challenge. Because the journey may be preparing us for something far greater than what we had originally imagined.
Failure may not always be the end of the road. Sometimes, it is the road itself.
