Radhanath Swami explains how failures can be the stepping stones to success

“Vision means to see the invisible, to feel the intangible and to achieve the impossible.” – Radhanath Swami

My spiritual master used to say that it is a material principle that failure is the pillar of success, but it can also be applied to our spiritual lives. One very famous speaker has said, “Success is going from failure to failure to failure, without losing one’s enthusiasm.” We really never fail until we give up trying—trying with determination and enthusiasm. Vision means to see the invisible, to feel the intangible and to achieve the impossible.

Actually, challenges or failures can either be stepping stones or stumbling blocks on the road to success. It is all a matter of how we look at them. We can see a glass as half-empty, or we can see the same glass as half-full. One way of seeing will bring us enthusiasm, while the other way of seeing will bring us discouragement. We can apply that principle to every aspect of our life. But it is always important to be sure that we are doing the right thing.

We learn from our mistakes. A mistake is only a mistake if we fail to learn from it. Real leaders make many, many mistakes, but they do not repeat them. They learn from them, and they remain enthusiastic and determined for the goal. In every situation actual champions are always focused on their goals.

“We cannot be successful unless we have the courage to fail. And every failure contains the seed of success.” – Radhanath Swami

Failure builds character. Failure is something that only comes to one who earns it. We should respect failure as an honor. We cannot be successful unless we have the courage to fail. And every failure contains the seed of success. When we learn from mistakes, when we learn from failures, we become stronger, we develop greater integrity.

Thomas Edison tried 8000 various experiments before he finally invented the electric bulb. Later when he was asked about it, he said that he wasn’t discouraged by all those 8000 failures. “From every failure I at least learnt what doesn’t work.” That attitude is success!

When difficulties, obstacles, pressures and even failures come into our lives, we should always be seeing the invisible, feeling the intangible, and in this way we can achieve the impossible. We may not understand the exact cause behind the difficulty, but if we have faith, if we have hope, we can always be looking at that “flower” that will grow from this “rainstorm.” That attitude is the
substance of a successful man.

Opportunity knocks, but most people complain about the noise. We should see an opportunity in every situation; we never really lose until we stop trying. It is said that in the darkness a star shines the brightest.

A third-class man does not even begin to endeavor because he is fearful that he may fail. A second- class man endeavors, but turns back when faced with obstacles and failures on his path. But the first-class man keeps his mind fixed on the goal and does not turn back.

– Radhanath Swami