The idea of success often feels like an endless stream of thoughts. We all want to succeed, and we should want to. But here's the problem: we tend to believe that success is only about what we achieve. We aim for the big wins while often overlooking our small victories. As if that's not bad enough, and even worse, we become fixated on the big wins without considering what our small and big losses have taught us. It's like a child who misses 8 out of 10 math problems but only focuses on the two that he got right. He defends himself, thinking, “At least I got two correct." This might be my two cents, but I’ll share it anyway: life is bigger than your wins. Our failures hold essential lessons that we need to embrace.

For example, when I was in high school, I participated in a Spelling Bee competition. Before the event, I was determined to win. I spent months studying and memorising spelling words. I had a notebook dedicated solely to that purpose. I would flip it open early in the morning, at any time during the day, and even late at night. I studied tirelessly, convinced that I deserved to win because of the effort I had put in. I even thought of myself as a master of these "big" words, words that were pretty challenging, I must say. In fact, the only "big" word that could describe how much of a failure I felt during the school prep for the inter-school competition—not even the main one—was disappointment.

On that fateful day, I was 100% ready to prove that I was the right person for the job, the one to represent my school. I had three chances to spell words correctly. Unfortunately, I missed all three. What made it even more painful was that I had practiced two of the words I missed repeatedly. I almost fell into depression—or maybe I did. I couldn’t get my head around the fact that I had missed them. My confidence went from one hundred to negative one hundred in a matter of minutes. It was that bad. I even regretted attempting to participate for a while.

But looking back now, I realise that the pain of failure was essential for my growth. It was the kind of setback I needed to understand that success isn’t just about crossing the finish line, but about the journey itself. That realisation changed everything for me. One day, I reflected deeply, and it dawned on me that I had actually improved significantly in my spelling. Before preparing for the competition, I was terrible at spelling. So, what helped me get better? Simple: it was the competition I didn’t pass the first stage of. The very act of preparing, the focus, and the effort gave me the skills I didn’t even know I had.

Success needs to be redefined. While I didn’t win, I still won in many ways. I went from being terrible at spelling to becoming reasonably good. That “good” was more than enough at that point in my life. Here's the key point: failure doesn’t mean you’re a loser, especially if you can learn something from it and use it to improve your life. In my case, I remember how bad I was at spelling. I couldn’t even spell the word "excursion," and I was already in high school! Imagine how bad that was. But failure was the stepping stone I needed to improve. Without that competition, I might never have recognised the progress I had made, no matter how small.

Think about your own journey. Consider the times when you struggled but, through those struggles, gained resilience, wisdom, or new skills. Revisit your failures: what lessons did they offer you? The key is to not define yourself by one moment of failure but to look at the broader picture of personal growth and learning. How do you measure success in your life? Many people focus solely on the big wins, but that can be harmful. We must recognise that some failures are actually victories in disguise. You don’t need to postpone your happiness until you achieve the big break you’re waiting for. Some people base their idea of success solely on financial gains, but the downside to this is that you can accumulate wealth without experiencing fulfilment. Besides, the rate of cash flow is not entirely in your control—the economy plays a big role too, so why should you place your entire view of success on something that’s not solely in your hands? Success in life, after all, is multifaceted.

It's important to remember that success is fluid, personal, and often unexpected. It’s not a static destination but an evolving process. Change your perspective and appreciate the value of your failures. Don’t shy away from them. Learn from them, and thank Providence for the lessons they impart. Ultimately, it's the ability to grow from setbacks that defines true success. Success isn’t the absence of failure, but the resilience to keep moving forward, learning from every setback along the way.