5 INVALUABLE LESSONS FAILURE HAS THOUGHT ME

          It was December, 2010 and I was at the verge of graduation from the university. I just performed my last act as a student, the defense of my final year project. Wow I made it, I finally succeeded! But the excitement was short live when I was called back by one of the invigilators who had discovered an error in my work, an error that will turn my whole world around. My certification page was carrying a name that was unknown in my department. I was immediately accused of malpractice, the panel had my project cancelled and i was given an extra year on the spot. You might be asking but where was your supervisor? Oh thanks for asking. I almost forgot to tell you that he had traveled outside the country a few weeks earlier. A thousand things ran through my mind. the future suddenly became so dark. I could see my friends graduating without me, going to national youth service without me, getting jobs before me, I could see....................................... It was as though the universe was in a conspiracy against me. I have fail! I have failed my parents, family, friends and myself. The five months that followed was hell on earth. I became depressed, suffered insomnia and had a high blood pressure. 

          In the fifth month I began to rise from the valley of the shadow of death by the mercy of God. I didn't come out alone. while i was coming out of that pit where no water is, I came out with the following truths about failure that has changed my life and can change yours to;

1. Failure is a choice: what? you may exclaim. If failure is a choice then no one will fail right? Wrong! Every thing on earth is governed by laws. Success has its laws and so does failure. You don't directly choose to fail or succeed. You succeed by choosing to obey the laws of success and you fail by disobeying the laws of success. Whether you are a success or a failure in life has little to do with you circumstances, it has much more to do with your choice. You make your choices and you end up being made by them. Looking back at the choices I made before that day, i confess that I chose up till then to fail.
2. Failure is a journey not a destination: Most people think that success and failures are destinations, but they are not. Success or failure can not be summaries by an event. People see a man that is given an award, earn a million dollars, given a leadership position and suddenly think that such a person had become successful, so they pray for the event to come their way. Those who saw me on that faithful day crying in public might have thought that i just failed that day. No! I had been on the journey of failure long before that day. People see failure as an event, so they pray against it. Hear me, people are awarded or punished in public for what they have being doing or failing to do in private. If I may ask, what journey are you on? check yourself.
3.  Failure is not final: On that day I thought failure was final. Am glad to tell you its not. If you are going through any of life's challenges, there is hope. Remember you are going through. You can still be successful. Life's obstacles can stop you temporarily, only you can stop you permanently.    "success is not final, failure is not fatal; its the courage to continue that counts", Winston Churchill.
4. Everyone fails: Most times we are tempted to think that successful people are failure proof. They are not. Everyone fails but not every one is a failure. Those who end up as failures are those who spend their life avoiding it or who use it to build a castle of excuse for why they can not go any further. Don't be afraid to fail. I have failed but I got up, looked it in the eyes, said Adieus, walk away and never looked back. Rise up and walk out of that failure, you have encamped about it long enough.
5. Failure is not the enemy: Failure is not you enemy, believe me. let me tell you what it is

               Failure is a teacher; learn from it

               Failure is a foundation; build on it

               Failure is a gift, trade with it

               Failure is a message; tell others about it.

Finally friend, its true you have failed but you can walk out of it, I did. You can still be successful after failure, I am. There is life after failure, live it to the full.