Persistent failures can cause one to fail to cope with stress and be overwhelmed by mental-health issues. I do not claim to have an answer to those experiencing persistent failures, however sharing some lessons in the many failures experienced may help someone achieve success after all. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 05 June 2023.
Belated May article, perhaps more apt now considering the discussion at hand. No one starts or pursues anything expecting to fail. Many initiatives are started with expectations of success unless they were clearly doubtful from the beginning and were started to test some theories. Thus, when success becomes elusive, it causes increased frustration and temptations to give up. Giving up is not an easy option either because of the natural inclination to avoid the stigma of failure or losing resources expended in pursuing that elusive initiative.
I do not believe in coincidences, luck or randomness, but that there is a cause and effect to our experiences. That which many consider good luck, I see it as “grace” by a divine Being. Likewise, anything considered bad luck, I deem it an evil experience permitted and not caused by that very divine Being. Now, the causes and effect to our experiences may not always stem from one’s actions but actions by forces beyond one’s control. One can do very little about causes stemming from forces beyond one’s control. Fretting about such can only lead to more aggravation. In such a situation, one can only refer to one’s source of comfort in dealing with causes beyond one’s control. Many suffer the consequences of the causes within their control and from own actions. I hope to encourage and comfort those experiencing persistent failure.
The starting point when experiencing any failure is acceptance that success is elusive. A solution is an answer to an acknowledged problem. Acknowledgement should then lead to an evaluation or review of potential causes of the failure. Sometimes it is difficult to extricate oneself from the situation and objectively review or evaluate oneself. Before giving up on your initiative, I have found through observation, experience and much investigation that failures often stem from the following:
- Impatience
- Inaction or deficiency.
- Premature celebration.
- Contentment after the first victory.
- Narcissism or egomania
- Idolatry
- Sovereign will of a higher power.
Impatience
We live in the instant gratification era, fast foods and fast development that anything requiring investment in time would not be readily chosen or accepted. The younger generation are proponents of instant answers to problems. Life and ancient good book advise that one ought to count the full costs before undertaking an initiative because failure to do so would lead to failure. When such costs have been calculated and a resolve made to pursue the initiative, it pays to be more patient to enable the initiative to mature and for results to be realised. This makes even more sense when the course taken is correct and should result in the expected outcome materialising. The higher the investment in resources, the longer the wait for the results and the more patient one ought to be to realise the expected breakthrough.
Inaction or deficiency
Exercising more patience does not mean doing nothing else to improve the situation. Often success becomes elusive because one has not done enough to succeed. So long as ideas about improving the situation still flow, one should not relent in doing one’s best in trying different ideas to ensure attainment of that elusive success.
Premature celebration
Sometimes after a small victory is attained, it is easy to “take the foot off the pedal” in celebrating the first success as though the major victory has been attained. It could well be that the first small victory was meant to instil some encouragement for more actions than before to be done to guarantee and attain the bigger victory. Though every success ought to be acknowledged and one to be grateful for its attainment, premature celebration of victory could result in failure to seize other opportunities. Sometimes small victories cause one to be a “busy body”, spending more time and actions managing the small victory than preparing for the next and bigger milestone.
Contentment after the first victory
Like premature celebration, contentment after the first victory occurs when the first victory is seen as enough for one to settle on. Anything failing to expand or grow diminishes and dies eventually. When contentment after the first victory is attained sets in, often one no longer has the time to do the things one did before and was willing to do to attain success. The basics are often ignored and neglected. Soon, failure sets in.
Narcissism or egomania
Some find it easy to make everything about themselves. Even when they obtained help from others, they never acknowledge their helpers and often make all seem their effort alone. Even when they were “lucky”, they would still make it about themselves. In other words, even when they have been graciously blessed with goodness by the divine Being, they still find a way of making it about themselves and not show gratitude to that Being for the grace shown upon their lives. As I believe we are actors in the world created by a higher Being in charge and control of all happenings, though not all caused by His design, but enabled by His permission, He may be unwilling to grant some successes He knows would destroy us or cause us to be more prideful or deny Him the glory. You do not have to believe me, but even ordinary language, though premised on the good old book, does say, “pride goes before a fall”. Anyone old enough would attest to the truthfulness of this adage.
Idolatry
Some worship money, material, relationships or knowledge among others. By worship, I am implying that they would deem their lives worthless without these. All these are important to making life bearable and more comfortable but obsessing about them can itself cause problems. Again, based on my beliefs of the presence of a divine Being in control or the affairs of life, one of the ancient good Book tells us He opposes anyone giving worship to anything other than to Him. In which case, especially for those claiming to believe in Him, they cannot expect a breakthrough when they are unwilling to be “emptied” off their love for money, material or anything they love the most. The aim is to expose and reveal to them their true heart’s love. Material and other resources should be pursued not as the end in themselves but means for enabling most aspects of life.
Sometimes one must lose something of value to gain something of even much higher value. By clinging to “things”, one is not making room for the emergence of a new thing. It is the same as knowing that there would be no income soon and refusing to dispose of some assets to keep you going so long, instead choosing to incur more debt, only to be sequestrated later, losing all.
Sovereign will of the divine Being
If you have overcome all the above first six “trials” or challenges and still find success elusive, it could be due to the will of the divine Being that you go through the season of dryness or wilderness temporarily. Having reached this last stage after you have satisfied yourself that you meet all first six checks above, yours is to press even hard in devotion and supplications to the divine Being. In not time, breakthrough is imminent. And when breakthrough occurs, remember to ensure you regularly check yourself against the checks pointed out herein to ensure your victory is long lasting.
Conclusion
Apologies for the long article. I trust and pray that this article may help someone with a little faith and strengthen them. And when success has been attained, kindly share experiences with us so others too can benefit from additional pearls of wisdom.
Be blessed.
