Empowering students to navigate challenges and failures

“No one escapes pain, fear and suffering. Yet from pain can come wisdom, from fear can come courage and from suffering can come strength – only if we have the virtue of resilience.” The journey of the students in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world is filled with challenges ranging from academics and peer pressure to family expectations, relationships and more. With every passing day, the complexity of navigating these obstacles becomes increasingly daunting.

R for resilience

Though we talk about being accepting and non-judgmental, I personally believe that the world is moving in the opposite direction. We are not as kind and forgiving towards failures, whether our own or that of the others, as we consider ourselves to be. Failure itself is often seen as inherently “negative.” Therefore, when we say that some of our biggest learnings are outcomes of failures – it’s actually easier to preach than practice. For a person to rebound and move forward after failure requires a lot of mental strength or simply resilience.

Make peace with failure

Resilience is a combination of skills and a positive mindset. It enables a person to “get back up” and move forward with renewed energy and enthusiasm.Like any other skill or attitude, resilience can be developed through observation and practice. The first step in cultivating resilience is accepting that failures are an integral part of life. No one’s life is composed solely of success stories; in fact, most successes are the result of a series of failures. Once this truth is embraced, the next step is to design a mechanism that allows us to extract lessons from failures and move forward.

Perspective counts

The blueprint for resilience will vary from person to person due to the uniqueness of human behaviour. Optimism can play a game-changing role. Choosing to see the glass as half full rather than half empty is a matter of perspective. When you teach yourself to see the good even in the worst situations, you will always find a silver lining. It is also imperative to maintain the focus if one has to overcome barriers and reach the goal. We often glorify the trophy but underestimate the importance of the training ground. It is the training ground where one falls innumerable times, trains harder with every injury in order to get a podium finish. Life is no different. Additionally, the importance of good physical and mental health too cannot be overemphasised in the process of building resilience. Meditation and exercise on a regular basis can take you a long way. It is also necessary that you are kind to yourself. Self-criticism is damaging however introspection is not.

Outcome matters than the process

Why do students need to build resilience? Well because we all know that not all exams will lead to success. Some will be a source of self-doubt, stress and demotivation. Also, is there an option to sit back when you don’t succeed? No, the rat race and competition give little or no option to brood over failures. Remember the movie 12th Fail? From school to university to jobs, one will see many transitions in their lives and each stage will come with many adverse situations. For example, you may have zeroed on a dream university and planned your career trajectory in a certain way. However, a non-acceptance letter from the university can change your life overnight. But will that be the end of the road? Absolutely not! The only smart solution to this would be to change your focus to navigate a different path which ultimately will lead you towards your goal. It is the outcome which matters more than the process.

Plan B

In my experience, many students who face rejection pivot to a new plan as a practical response. Having a “Plan B” in place is essential to handling rejections gracefully. Resilience provides students with a strong foundation, enabling them to build self-confidence, develop efficacy, and cultivate a growth mindset—even when life takes unexpected detours.

Luxury vs necessity 

In my opinion, resilience is the most important attribute in this era. In a world where change is constant and machines increasingly replace humans, resilience is critical for adapting to new challenges. For students, resilience serves as a coping mechanism to handle academic, social, and emotional hurdles. It empowers them to grow stronger even in the face of adversity.

Resilience is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. Either we work hard and mindfully to develop it over time, or we risk living in despair and frustration.

By fostering resilience, students can adjust their approach as circumstances demand. They can equip themselves not only to survive but to thrive, achieving success even in the face of adversity. In simple terms, resilience is the core human value that enables individuals to reach their full potential and live a life of happiness with fewer regrets.