Setbacks bring out the true character of man. The response to setbacks moulds and defines a person.
This is true in all realms like personal, business and sports.
Arguably, one of the most important life skill is the ability to bounce back.
All of us saw the images of senior scientists from ISRO weep like kids when the mission could not achieve success on launch of Chandrayaan II.
The important thing is that it was seen as a setback from which one has to learn and not failure to which one succumbs to. We also recall the admiration and joy when ISRO successfully launched Chandrayaan III.
Success is never linear even in business.
Thomas Edison famously remarked on his repeated failures in inventing the electric bulb, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Let us learn the art of learning from setbacks
Rollercoaster!
A friend once asked, “Can life really be stable?” and another one quipped “Are you a horse?” This exchange is a classic example of how one looks at life. The most unpredictable thing in the universe is undoubtedly LIFE. In the sunset days of life most people introspect on the journey. Nostalgia sets in and the truth dawns that life was a rollercoaster, of highs and lows. The excitement of the high and the accompanying adrenaline rush were naturally balanced by the low, with a pit in the stomach and disbelief in the eyes.
An entrepreneur is fired up with his idea/s. He or she has learnt quite a few basics of managing an organization and dream of taking it from loss to profit and then more profit. There is a strong self- belief and the needed support from all those involved in the journey. The routine begins, the organization grows steadily, and more people join on the way, the tax paying increases as the revenue rises, recognition pours in and one gets the feeling of being a responsible employer and citizen. Great job! The entrepreneur makes a mark, his team becomes settled, the banks are happy and there is a general feeling. It is generally at this stage that one sees the beginning of other great ideas.
Along the way, come the setbacks in equal measure. Deals fall through, settled employees unsettle the bandwagon, natural calamities strike, rules and laws change and ideas prove unworkable. It is this invisible canvass that actually tests the fabric. The wise know how important it is to take the black with the white and success with failure. The biggest liar in the world would be someone who claims to have never failed. The downs of life and business could probably be the best teachers anyone could have. If one loses hope all is lost, but if one chronicles failure and works around it, the bounce back could be astounding.
To have a comeback, you have to have a setback.
I'm reading a book on anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down!
I'm trying to lose weight, but it keeps finding me.
I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough.
Sachin Joshi, CEO of Greenovoc Specialty Coatings Pvt. Ltd presented his views on ‘Safe & Sustainable Coatings’ at CORCON 2024 held in Chennai, India on November 23 & 24 2024.
It is Asia’s largest conference on Corrosion and represents the largest global community of corrosion and protective coatings professionals.
No Fumes
Environment Friendly
Zero VOC
No Odour
Sustainable
Non Toxic
Green Technology
Sound Dampening
Anti-Microbial