How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
I once tried to win at life
on the very first attempt
because obviously,
I thought destiny had prepared
a red carpet for me.
.
Life laughed.
Not politely.
The full-volume kind.
.
Doors didn’t open.
Plans collapsed like cheap furniture.
My confidence packed a bag
and quietly left the room.
.
Failure arrived instead
uninvited,
overdressed,
and extremely comfortable
staying longer than expected.
.
At first I hated it.
Naturally.
.
Nobody throws a party
for the day they discovered
they were spectacularly wrong.
.
But failure has strange habits.
.
It sits beside you
when the applause disappears.
It points at your excuses
like a strict teacher with a red pen.
And it whispers,
.
“Try again.
But this time
maybe use your brain.”
.
So I did.
.
I learned how to fall
without announcing it to the entire world.
How to rebuild quietly.
How to laugh at my own dramatic disasters.
.
Turns out,
failure wasn’t the villain
I thought it was.
.
It was the unpaid internship
that secretly trained me
for the job I wanted.
.
Because the truth is
success didn’t arrive
when everything went right.
.
It arrived much later,
wearing the clothes
my failures stitched for me.
.
And honestly?
.
Looking back,
those failures did most of the work.
.
I just showed up
for the success interview.
—Rajeshwari🧿💕
© Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved
Yeah that’s what they are… they shape the rawness in us 🌷
Maybe that’s the beauty of it…the raw parts don’t break us, they quietly build us. 🌷
What a powerful and thought-provoking piece. You’ve captured the quiet truth about failure so beautifully—that it often becomes our greatest teacher when success walks away. The imagery of failure sitting beside us like a strict teacher is especially striking and deeply relatable. Thank you for reminding us that setbacks don’t break us; they refine us and prepare us for wiser attempts ahead.
Thank you from the heart!
I’m so glad it spoke to you. Failure can feel heavy, but it quietly shapes us and knowing someone else feels that too makes it all the more meaningful.🤍✨
You’re most welcome. Your words carry a quiet honesty that many people feel but rarely express so beautifully. Failure may weigh on us for a while, but it also refines us, shaping our patience, courage, and understanding.
What touched me most is the way you see its deeper purpose. When we realize that others share the same struggles, the burden becomes lighter and the journey more meaningful. Your reflection reminds us that even difficult moments can lead to growth and connection.
Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful perspective. 🤍✨
Your words mean so much 🤍✨ Thank you for feeling this journey with me it truly touches my heart.🤍✨
Thank you for your kind and heartfelt words. 🤍 They truly mean a lot to me. Knowing that my thoughts resonated with you makes this shared journey even more meaningful. When words connect hearts, they carry a special kind of warmth. I’m grateful for your sincerity and the beautiful spirit you shared here. ✨
Failures in our lives made us who we are aren’t we…?
All of it started as we constantly tried and tried hard to be someone who we knew we were and along the way we found the real version of ourselves which we brought out to this world…!
A nice and reflective read…!
😇🤍
Absolutely… failures quietly shape us and help us discover our true selves.🤍✨
Rajeshwari, the line that lingered with me most is the image of failure sitting beside us “when the applause disappears.” Several readers noticed how failure can shape the raw parts of us or quietly guide us back to who we really are. There is something honest in the way your poem lets failure stay in the room long enough to do its quiet work.
What also stood out is how the tone of the piece slowly shifts—from wanting life to unfold like a red carpet to learning how to rebuild quietly and even laugh at the wreckage. That change feels less like a lesson learned and more like a change in posture toward life itself. Sometimes the most meaningful growth is not the success we finally reach, but the quieter self we become along the way.
Thank you so much for reading it so deeply. 💛
Your words truly touched me I’m grateful you felt that shift. ✨
Rajeshwari ji, You have portrayed failure as a strict yet honest teacher in such a remarkable way. In life, we often consider success to be the hero, while in reality our preparation, maturity, and understanding are forged in the furnace of failures.
“Failure wasn’t the villain… it was the unpaid internship” this line is truly the heart of the entire piece. With such simplicity, you have expressed a profound perspective on life.
Indeed, it is true, Success is only the outcome,
but failure is the teacher that makes us worthy of it.
Heartfelt congratulations for such a beautiful, sincere, and introspective expression. Your writing truly reflects deep insight and honesty.
Vijay ji, Thank you so much for your beautiful words and thoughtful reading! 💛✨I’m glad the piece resonated with you failure has indeed taught me more than success ever could, and I wanted to capture that honest journey. Your encouragement truly means a lot!🤍✨
So true- failure wasn’t the villain. Failures are indeed stepping stones to success. A thought provoking piece!💫✨
Thank you so much! 💫Your words truly mean a lot to me. ✨
Amazing
Thank you so much! 💛✨Truly grateful for your support.🤍✨
I think , it doesn’t need a support when you are being yourself, anyways you are welcome, I just appreciate your words
Great failure is a wonderful “art!”
Thank you. Perhaps failure quietly teaches us the art of becoming stronger.
Failure teaches us and it’s telling us to do more and encouraging us to go for it….but usually people take it as a disappointment….
Yes, that’s true. Most of the time we only see the disappointment first… the lesson becomes clear a little later.🤍✨
Very good thought
Thank you so much, I appreciate it.🤍✨