What do you think of my essay on failure?

Question

In times of difficulty, everyone is prone to focus on the negative aspects of their situation. When you look like a complete failure, it is easy to dwell on where you went wrong. The simple fact is that we can learn many valuable lessons from failure. The Texas Academy of Math and Science (TAMS) was one of the greatest opportunities of my life and with a great opportunity comes a great risk of failure. Unfortunately that was what happened, I failed. I feel I handled my failure in such a way that it benefited me more than if I would have stayed at TAMS. When I failed, I was forced to reexamine my goals, myself, and what I truly wanted.

The academic advantages of attending TAMS were great. TAMS gave me the opportunity to skip two years of high school and replace them with a highly focused math and science based curriculum. I was trusted to take care of myself and my schooling all on my own. The demographics of TAMS were also very diverse, giving me the opportunity to learn how to interact with many different ethnicities and cultures. Before coming to TAMS, I had never been enthralled by my peers. I felt inferior to them in terms of social capability. TAMS gave me the confidence to socially engage with my peers and voice my opinions.

Everything seemed to be going well, but one underlying issue was not addressed: I did not wish to pursue a career that was that highly focused on science. The course work was so vigorous that a passion for science was necessary to succeed. At the end of the term, I had a 2.6 GPA, not the required 3.0 GPA necessary to continue attending TAMS. When I was not eligible to continue, I let down a lot of people. I let down my friends who were pulling for me up until the end. I let my parents down who knew I was capable of passing. Most of all, I let myself down. Failing out of TAMS forced me to reexamine my goals and aspirations.

When I was not eligible to come back to TAMS, I had to face my own issues of motivation. I had gone to TAMS in confidence that I knew that was what I wanted and that I would succeed. I thought I had my life totally planned out. I was wrong; I just could not will myself to study enough to pass. The issue with me not studying created confidence issues in being able to make the right choices for myself. I had to take responsibility for the wrong choice I had made. A science based curriculum was simply not for me. Although I did not fail with an F, it still felt like I did. I was forced to leave my friends, school and everything I was comfortable with and return to a hometown that I was not fond of. One of the worst parts about leaving TAMS was that I had to come home and face the people I had left.

I did not leave very many people I cared about when I left for TAMS, other then my family. My acquaintances were the issue with me, the kids I had met once or twice at school. Each kid wanted to know why I was back. I would respond, “I just didn’t study enough.” For some this could be the most difficult part of failure, but for me, facing my failure was not my biggest issue. There were some who were bitter that I had left and did not greet me warmly when I returned. I had to leave those people behind. A lot of my acquaintances viewed my leaving as a pompous act. That was sometimes a difficult thing to deal with, but I ignored it. Everyone is entitled to their own initial judgments. My dad, being separated from me for quite some time, could not make an accurate judgment of what I was thinking. This caused him to judge my failing out of TAMS as a fault in my character. When I came home I was encouraged to get a job, to help develop the character I appeared to lack.

Getting a job was probably the best thing that could happen to me. I realized that the business world charged me up. I excelled at my job. After only a month, I was given the opportunity to train for a promotion. I am known as a dependable solid worker at my job. I constantly debate and discuss business principles with my dad. The mechanics of business seems to interest me most. After leaving TAMS, distraught at the fact I had no clue what career I would like to pursue, I had found my direction. I had realized this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to pursue a career in business. With this passion, I was able to help myself in any way I could to get into college. I studied vigorously for my SAT, because I knew that this would show that I am committed to going to college to get my business degree. My studying yielded success. I obtained a very respectable score on my SAT boosting my deflated confidence from leaving TAMS.

My arrival and subsequent departure from TAMS could be viewed as a negative experience. I feel that taking my experience from TAMS in a positive way benefited me more then if I would have finished out the last year there. Leaving TAMS forced me to reexamine what I really wanted. This was vital to my happiness. It also helped me move on with my life. When I came home and got a job, I realized that a more business focused education would excite me and keep me interested. I also had to learn to deal with difficult people and to face them despite my failures. Overall leaving TAMS was a very positive learning experience that pushed me in a direction that I did not know existed, let alone, turn out to be what I truly wanted.

Answer 1

You have learned a valuable lesson. You seem to have weathered the storm and become a better person because of it.

Congratulations on that. Your articulation of your experience was well done.

Just remember that every day is a trial day. You will be tested and re-tested continuously for the rest of your life.

I think that you have learned that who you are does not equate to what you do or what others think of you.

If you choose, you can always allow yourself to bask in the peace and contentment of what is rather than what should or could be.

Answer 2

It is a good essay. One that should be shared.
The middle of your essay told me a lot- "what I truly wanted' made the difference in what you call failure and what appears to be a change in direction. Tests, GPA's- levels of distinction that cut off the rest of us( Oh, yea, at 49 I have been there lived that many times) are not penalties. They are no more than pointers that guide us in directions we would rather have chosen on our own, but did not know to.
I had to quit a career a couple of years ago, or I was going to be fired. The pressure was enormous, the future sucked. I leapt, and took again measure of what i wanted. I had to move to a different state, uproot everything I knew of comfort.
Two years later and I really enjoy where I am, who I work with and what I am doing- because my personal goals and the goals of the company I work for are closely related.
Think about what you want- and understand that at times the entire world will tell you that it is the wrong thing, and there will be lots and lots of reasons to not leap.
But if you dont.... you will be right back where you were before you wrote this essay.

Answer 3

Just one observation...on your first paragraph, the sentence "when you look like a complete failure"....somehow that does not make sense...no one "looks" like a failure...they may feel like one, or even think that they are...but to look like a failure...I am still trying to visualize that sentence...
The way one reacts or respond to failure is the outcome of how we may feel...glad to know you took this experience and saw something positive in it...

Answer 4

Sounds like you've put a lot of thought and time into this. I sure hope someone who does publishing reads this. Good luck!

Answer 5

The Germans Failed Because Hitler had a Baby Tantrum her is the tale the Luftwaffe used to be days clear of destroying the RAF and the RAF stations in southern england while By twist of fate a German Bomber Bombed London this precipitated Churhill to reconsider out approaches and he ordered the Bombing of berlin don't forget the British had a Blackout imposed from early 1940 and while the RAF arrived over Berlin it used to be litup like a christmas tree in order that they Bombed berlin I am sorry to mention some of the Casualties used to be an elephant within the Berlin Zoo however hitler Got irritated and stated anything Like if the RAF drop 10 20 30 thousand Bombs on Berlin we will be able to drop one hundred two hundred three hundred hundreds of thousands of bombs on British towns and ordered the Bombing of British Cities this Foolish Act Gave Fighter Command the Breathing house to regroup and win the Battle of Britain as all Historians say If Hitler left the Running of the struggle to the Generals the UK could were out od WW2 inside days of the anilation of the BEF at Dunkirk all of the Blitz on our towns did used to be make us extra discovered to win Hitler Bombed me for practically four years and did not Kill me My Mothet had two Jobs in WW2 operating an Hospital Laundry and in a Hotel that catered for Troops on R and R My dad used to be wotking in a Munitions Factory in Quality warranty and as an ARP warden even us Kids did our bit by means of accumulating some thing that would be Recycled for the struggle attempt the Bombing of the towns failed on the grounds that Hitler would Not Muster adequate Fuel or plane to do a truly Job in which the RAF despatched over 1032 Bombers with the Loss of nineteen on one Raid i suppose the Most Bombers Hitler would get within the air used to be approximately 550 and so they have been Only medium bombers they on no account Built a heavy bomber good might be two the JU 390 used to be known as the yank Bomber it had 6 engines and had a payload the equal because the Lancaster however an extended Range Performance: Maximum Speed: Clean: 314 mph (505 kph) Max. Ext. Load: 267 mph (430 kph) Initial Climb: N/A Service Ceiling (Typical): N/A Range in Recce configuration: 6,027 miles (9700 km) Endurance in Recce configuration: 32 Hours Armament: eight × 20mm MG 151 eight × 13mm MG 131 Payload: Transport (V1): 22,046 lb. (10,000 kg) Bomber (V3): three,968 lb. (1800 kg) Avionics: Ju 390V2 FuG two hundred Hohentwiel Radar. a lancaster 20,000 Lb Bomb load and a variety of Just over 4000 Klm so if Hitler had saved his nostril out Just the Building of a couple of thousand Ju 390 would have mede all of the Difference Imagine Rommel with Heavy Bomber help in North africa and Von Runstead in Italy with Drop tanks the NAZIS would effortlessly have made the east coast and go back with Impunity the rationale they misplaced the Battle of Britain and the Blitz used to be Bad approaches Bombing of Plymouth and Portsmouth could hev had bigger outcome Bombing of London used to be a waste of time it handiest gave me More Bombed residences to play in

Answer 6

I can only say, you did not fail. Congratulations and may your wants and dreams come true. Excellent essay.

Answer 7

I think you will be OK and learn from it. It was a good essay