summatix

There’s no such thing as failure

Many who did not know me in my earlier days find this difficult to believe now, but I was once an incredibly fast runner.

In 5th grade I was known as the fastest runner in school. I knew this because I went head to head with everyone. I beat them all. I wasn’t intimidated by people older than me, or by people who were bigger than me. I ran in races that I didn’t stand a chance winning – and I won.

When I was younger I was incredibly short – much shorter than the average. I was always about 3-4 years behind my age in height. But you think that stopped me from competing in sport?

I competed in high jump and long jump. I could almost jump my height in high jump. I competed against everyone else in my grade, despite my height. I was at a huge disadvantage, but it didn’t matter. I could outjump most people my age, despite my height disability. And when it came to long jump, I was king. I beat everyone in the school.

I was also really good at cross-country. Beat everyone in the school at that as well.

In 7th grade I went to a new school where nobody knew me. Nobody knew what I was good at. So I showed them. When it came to cross country I was eager to compete. I love competition.

Shortly into the race I sprained my ankle. It was extremely painful. It was so bad that I was unable to continue the race. But you think that stopped me? For over 1km I hopped on one leg, and I completed the race. I wasn’t going to let any sprained ankle stop me!

Sport wasn’t the only thing I was good at. I started high school half way through a running chess competition. I decided to enter, even though I had little chance of winning. The school’s chess champion had won the title every year in a row. He was cocky. There was no way some new kid on the block that entered half way through the competition was going to take him down. I didn’t care though. I competed. Despite the odds, I got into the final round. I went head to head with the school’s chess champion. Checkmate! The school had a new champion.

After I took the chess championship I realised how nerdy that made me look and I never entered another chess competition again. The former school chess champion won every other trophy for each subsequent year. But I stole a trophy from his otherwise perfect collection. That still makes me smile.

I loved playing soccer when I was younger. My best position was left defence. Now those who know anything about soccer and anything about me would know what a misfit of a position that is. I’m right-footed, I was tiny, and yet my position was left defender. That’s the position I played. And I played it well.

When the opponent had the ball, I was aggressive. I wasn’t letting anybody get past me. I was well known in my team for my slide tackles. In and out. I took on everyone. I was fearless.

In high school I played for my school’s soccer team. One day we took on a rival school. Again, I took on defence. I was still incredibly tiny for my age, and the people at this school were big – really big. But you think that mattered? Of course not! I wasn’t going to let anything get past me!

There was this one player on the opposing team that played on the front line. He was twice the size of me, both in width and height. He was huge! His aim was to score; my aim was to stop him.

Whenever I saw the opportunity I slide tackled him to make sure he didn’t get past. But one time, this backfired. In retaliation to one of my tackles he kicked my foot, twisting it, resulting in a strain. Incredible pain. The coach called me off the field.

5 minutes and an ice pack later, I was ready to go at it again. This guy was scoring, and I had to stop him. Coach wouldn’t let me on the field though. He thought I was too injured. I begged him. I wouldn’t let him say no. I was going back on that field.

Reluctantly, he let me back on that field. It’s not like he had a choice anyway. I was back in the game!

My opponent came at me again. He was coming fast. He beat me once, but I wasn’t scared. I knew I could take him. Within an instant I slide tackled him and the ball was back in our control.

But something had gone terribly wrong. This guy was massive. And I took him down. Literally. Splat.

While trying to get up from my slide tackle I pushed this massive guy off my leg. And then I came to a dreadful realisation. I tried getting up. I wanted to go back at it. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t move my leg.

And then came the shock. Then came the agony. Then came the anger. What had this guy done? With all my effort I tried to get back up so I could take this guy on. But within seconds everyone had come running towards me with horrified looks on their faces.

Broken. In three different places. Two bones in my now deformed leg, perpendicular to my ankle. I had to be removed from the field in an ambulance.

It took me months to recover. It took over a year for my muscle to regrow and get back to normal state. But you know what? I don’t regret it, at all. I’d do it again. I don’t let anybody stand in my way.

Most people don’t take risks because they’re afraid of failure. I find this amusing. Failure? There’s no such thing as failure.

The difference between a successful man and a failed man is simple. The successful man doesn’t give up. The failed man gives up at the first sign of hardship.

If you fall, get back up. If you fall again, get back up, again. There’s no such thing as failure. What you call failure I call giving up. If you try, you will succeed. Eventually. Guaranteed.

I hear people complain about how difficult it is to start a company. About how much risk there is. About how high failure rates are.

Risk? Failure? They do not register to me.

I’ve been without money. I’ve been without food. I’ve been without a roof over my head. I’ve been in disastrous situations where I haven’t known what to do. I’ve been isolated. I never have any idea what I’m doing.

But guess what. I’m still alive. I survive. I live on. I never give up. I do whatever’s necessary to succeed. I go beyond.

I do, I do not try. There is only one option. That option is succeed. No other option exists.

People often mistake my confidence for arrogance. I get asked all the time how I can be so sure I’m going to succeed. How can I be so sure I’m going to become a billionaire? It’s really quite simple. I know, with absolute certainty that I’m going to succeed, no matter what. I know, because I’m not going to give up. Ever. I’m going to succeed. That’s all there is to it.

Also, I could still beat you at soccer.