Our best successes often come after our greatest disappointments.
Now I am seen as a successful cricketer, but the fact is that I have had more failure than success.
After I failed in my first two games, I did not expect to be picked. But on the eve of our match against Uttar Pradesh in Kanpur, Pravin Amre sir came to my room and gave me the confidence that I was playing.
It is worthy to note, that the early popularity of Washington was not the result of brilliant achievement nor signal success; on the contrary, it rose among trials and reverses, and may almost be said to have been the fruit of defeat.
This is the paradox for me: in failure alone is there any possibility of success. I don't think I'm alone in this - nor do I think it's an attitude that only prevails among people whose work is obviously 'creative'.
No man ever achieved worth-while success who did not, at one time or other, find himself with at least one foot hanging well over the brink of failure.
It takes as much courage to have tried and failed as it does to have tried and succeeded.
Even if I flop, I still qualified for the Games, and that was my goal. My target was to be at an Olympics for the third time with people I like.
Failure is ultimately very liberating. Once you come out the other side of it, you just might have faced one of your biggest fears and lived. The other side of failure is a big elimination of fear of failure. Trust me, that is an amazing gift.
Every hardship you endure and every failure you withstand could very well be the stepping stone to success and the realization of your God-given dream.
Sometimes those who bloom too early fade fast. Michael Kors struggled for years - and endured bankruptcy - before he became all rich and famous and fabulous.
Defeat may prove to have been the only path to resurrection, despite its ugliness.
