There Are No Such Things As Failures, There Are Only Results.

(It was written in 2009 when I was teaching in Maldives while preparing for my assembly speech.Teachers used to speak in the morning assembly on various topic)

Today I would like to talk to you how our attitude towards success and failure influence the result of our action. At first I should like to share an experience I had this year. I am going to talk about a student very briefly. In the beginning of this academic year I found him passive and reluctant to complete the tasks in the classroom. This student had different excuses. Either he won’t bring the book, if he brings the book he won’t have the interest. On the other hand he was receptive at times. Finding his ability to communicate I consulted this matter with the leading teacher and he talked to him. 

Thus I could find changes in his response. He started participating actively. But after few weeks again his interest declined. My advice had no effect on him. Finally I got a chance to meet him with his mother. I discussed this matter with his mother and told her son is really skilled and could get through the exam if he worked hard. Before mother could say anything he spoke frankly. He told me “Sir actually I have decided not to study English. It is not my subject. Every year at the beginning itself I leave English.  Few weeks I worked in the class not for me, but to make you happy.” Then he explained the reason. He never passed in English exam and even if he passed it was only the first  unit test.  It never repeated. 

Dear students, there is no such thing as failure. There are only results.  To inspire this student, I told him about a man’ great success. There was a man who 

 Failed in business at age 21

Was defeated in legislative race at age 22

Failed again in business at age 24

Overcome the death of his sweetheart at age 26

Had a nervous breakdown at the age 27

Lost congressional race at age 36

Lost senatorial race at age 45

Failed in an effort to become vice-president at age 47

Lost a senatorial race at age 49

Who was selected president of US at age 52....Do you know who is this man. Abrham Lincoln who was the great president of United States of America.

Recently I happened to read an article in Readers digest about a boy of unusual vision.  It was about a boy named Calvin Stanley. It seems Calvin rides a bike, plays baseball ,goes to school and does just about everything else that a eleven year old can do except see.

How could this little boy do all these things while many people in the same situation just give up on life or live in sorrow. Calvin’s mother is a master reformer. She has turned every experience Calvin has experiences that others would have classified as ‘limitations’- into advantages in Calvin’s mind. Since that’s what he represents to himself, that’s what Calvin experiences.

Calvin’s mother remembers the day her son asked why he was blind. “I explained he was born that way and it was nobody’s fault.” She told him.  He asked “WHY me”, I don’t know why, Calvin. May be there is a special plan for you” Then she sat her son down and told him “You are seeing Calvin; you are just using hands instead of your eyes. And remember there is nothing that you can’t do”

One day Calvin was very sad because he realised h e would never see his mother’s face. She said “Calvin, you can it with your hand and by listening to my voice and you can tell more about me that way  than somebody who can use his eyes.” 

Calvin moves in the sighted world with trust and faith and the unshakable confidence of a child whose mother has always been there for him. Calvin wants to become computer programmer and somebody design programs for the blind.

Dear students, it’s your attitude, your decision, faith, confidence and determination and above all your interest that matters. No one can touch you if you are confident.  Once again I remind you, there are no such things as failures. There are only results.  

Thank you. Have wonderful day.