It is said: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Narrate your experience when you persisted until you achieved your goal.
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If at First You Don't Succeed - Try, Try Again
If At First You Don't Succeed–Try, Try Again
by Sam Phillips
Many important lessons are learned from failures. After reading this article, the trips you take back to the drawing board will seem shorter and easier, maybe even like a trip to the beach.
We can't always be winners the first time around. It takes a while to learn, to experiment and to fine–tune. We often get frustrated; we may even entertain giving up because of the idea of failing. But, as the saying goes, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." And the tough sometimes go back to the drawing board several times before getting it right, before they reach their goals and can celebrate their successes.
Jawwad Ahmed Farid, FSA, is one of the tough ones. He says that going back to the drawing board is what true success is all about, and that failure, with the comparative isolation it can bring, is a great time to re–examine your life and to decide if this is what you want out of it.
"A total system reboot is also a good opportunity to take an inventory of your resolve, your commitment and your drive to succeed," says Farid. "Failure is a more discerning and forgiving teacher than success. Ounce for ounce, you come out leaner, meaner and wiser.
A successful entrepreneur, Farid sincerely believes that failing or falling short sometimes is essential to personal growth and attaining success.
"At heart I am a builder and making companies is what I am wired to do best," he says. "The reasoning and the logic don't matter. What matters is that given enough time, enough attempts (failures if you will), a little cash and a lot of heart, most entrepreneurs finally manage to figure it out. The ones who make it are the ones who keep trying until they do."
Answer:
Many important lessons are learned from failures. After reading this article, the trips you take back to the drawing board will seem shorter and easier, maybe even like a trip to the beach.
We can't always be winners the first time around. It takes a while to learn, to experiment and to fine–tune. We often get frustrated; we may even entertain giving up because of the idea of failing. But, as the saying goes, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." And the tough sometimes go back to the drawing board several times before getting it right, before they reach their goals and can celebrate their successes.
Jawwad Ahmed Farid, FSA, is one of the tough ones. He says that going back to the drawing board is what true success is all about, and that failure, with the comparative isolation it can bring, is a great time to re–examine your life and to decide if this is what you want out of it.
"A total system reboot is also a good opportunity to take an inventory of your resolve, your commitment and your drive to succeed," says Farid. "Failure is a more discerning and forgiving teacher than success. Ounce for ounce, you come out leaner, meaner and wiser.
A successful entrepreneur, Farid sincerely believes that failing or falling short sometimes is essential to personal growth and attaining success.
"At heart I am a builder and making companies is what I am wired to do best," he says. "The reasoning and the logic don't matter. What matters is that given enough time, enough attempts (failures if you will), a little cash and a lot of heart, most entrepreneurs finally manage to figure it out. The ones who make it are the ones who keep trying until they do."
And by all accounts, Farid has made it. His core areas of expertise include asset/risk management, investments, contingent liabilities, product design and development, and derivative instruments, just to name a few. He blends a rare combination of information systems, international standards, business and product development skill sets side–by–side with his actuarial experience.
He is humble about his success, admitting that it is never easy getting there. Most importantly, he stresses, you never arrive by yourself–a strong support system is essential.
"Your support network is a big driver," says Farid. "The more people you can share your thoughts, failed attempts and small wins with, the easier it will be for you to remain motivated or think whatever you need to think through to remain motivated. A support network is not just someone you can talk with, but a group who you can relate to in terms of what you're doing. It helps when you know that you are not the only one who blew payroll this month–that the guy next door who is just as successful as you are is having an equally hard time, even though it may be short–lived. It is also a group that can ask the right questions, that can give you direction and at times provide the push, the shove or the hug you need to keep going."
Celebrate the small wins is another credo Farid lives by. If you wait until the big one to jump up and down for joy, you're missing out on a lot of fun.