How does one recover from failure?

Ankit completed his engineering from a tier-3 college but was unable to secure a good job. Despite this setback, he had a strong passion for the UPSC-CSE exam and decided to dedicate himself to pursuing it instead of settling for below average placements. With above average general knowledge and IQ, he was confident in his abilities and believed he would be selected.

To everyone's surprise, Ankit cleared the prelims on his first attempt and continued to surpass expectations by clearing the mains as well. His parents were hopeful and excited until the final results were released. Unfortunately, he was rejected, causing disappointment and discouragement.

Undeterred, Ankit remained hopeful and gave it his all in his next attempt but was unable to clear the prelims. He was shocked by the difficulty of the papers, realizing that his focused studies were not enough compared to those with a wider range of general awareness. In his third attempt, he also could not clear the mains.

After years of trying and failing, Ankit felt like a burden to his lower middle-class parents, and he saw little hope for his future. He spiraled into a deep depression, consumed by thoughts of his career prospects. He found solace in a visit to a saint who lived in a serene location surrounded by forests and hills.

Ankit's mother explained their situation to the saint, who smiled and addressed Ankit. He asked if Ankit had exhausted all his attempts, to which Ankit replied that he still had three more chances. The saint pointed out that there were many other government job exams apart from the UPSC-CSE, such as SSC and PCS. He encouraged Ankit not to lose hope and to focus on the remaining opportunities and the lessons he had learned from his failures.

Inspired by the saint's words, Ankit returned home with renewed enthusiasm and determination. However, despite his best efforts, Ankit failed again and exhausted all his remaining chances. He was unable to secure a position in any other prestigious exam as well. Feeling hopeless and defeated, Ankit returned to the saint seeking guidance.

Ankit expressed his frustration and disappointment, believing that his dreams had been shattered. The saint, however, saw a different perspective. He congratulated Ankit on his success in giving his best until there was still hope, emphasizing that this was the best anyone could do in their life. The saint advised Ankit to move on to the next chapter of his life, create new goals, and not waste time regretting or mourning over something that no longer held relevance.

Although Ankit was initially upset, the saint's words resonated with him and brought him a sense of peace. He realized that his dream of becoming an IAS officer was just one part of his life, and he still had a long journey and many opportunities ahead. He chose to embrace the new chapter and looked forward to discovering something more exciting.

Ankit went on to pursue an MBA, utilizing more of his parent's resources. This time, he secured a good job and his life improved significantly. He was able to fulfill some of his dreams, such as owning a car, taking his parents on a trip to Goa, and decorating his home. Grateful for the saint's guidance, he returned to express his gratitude.

The lesson Ankit learned was that as long as one has hope, failure is not a definite outcome. It is only when hope is lost and one stops trying out of fear of failure that true failure is experienced. Ankit realized that life continuously unfolds in different chapters, and success can be found by embracing new goals and maintaining hope.