You always pass failure on your way to success. This is a famous quote and it rings true for 62-year-old Mongi Bendi. He's a professor at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and this week he won the Nobel Prize. He's the co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for developing quantum dots, which are nanop particles that react to light. Bendi's work has made television screens brighter and has improved the treatment of liver disease.
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But that's not the story we're telling you tonight. Bendi's journey to success wasn't without setbacks. Throughout school, he excelled in science and aced exams without breaking a sweat. He made it to Harvard University, but then he flunked his very first chemistry test. Yes, a Nobel Prize winner in chemistry failed his college chemistry test. He was devastated, but he didn't let it destroy him. He learned from the experience, worked on improving, and bounced back. Now, he's won the Nobel Prize in the same subject.
Bendi's story is inspirational and applicable to all of us. Failure is a shared experience. Most of us have failed a test, flopped on a big presentation, or failed a diet. Reports say that 92% of people do not achieve their goals, and 80% of people fail their New Year's resolutions by February. Failure is pervasive, and it even has its own dedicated day (October 13th) and museum (the Museum of Failure in Sweden).
While we may find the idea of visiting a museum of failure amusing, most of us try our best to avoid failure. The fear of failure tops the list of phobias worldwide, with 31% of people suffering from it. To put it into perspective, only 15% of people fear the paranormal. People would rather be haunted by ghosts than take a math test. The fear of failure affects all age groups, with many college students fearing public speaking more than death, and for 90% of CEOs, the fear of failure is their biggest concern.
The question is, why are so many people scared to fail? The education system plays a role, where the ultimate goal is simply to pass exams rather than to learn. Failure equals being a loser. Overprotective parents, known as "snowplow parents," also contribute to this fear by shielding their children from small risks and big failures. Social media exacerbates the problem by turning every slip-up into a major cancellation event.
However, study after study shows that failure is necessary for success. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was fired from his own company before he went on to start Pixar Animation Studios and become a billionaire. Michael Jordan was dropped from his high school basketball team but is now considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Oprah Winfrey was fired from her job as a TV news anchor, but she is now one of the greatest TV personalities in the world. Amitabh Bachchan was rejected from a radio job because of his voice, but he is now known for it as a famous Indian actor.
My point is, no one simply emerges at the top. Anyone with a resume of accomplishments also has a resume of failures and humiliations. The fear of failure is important, especially for people in dangerous jobs where failure can have dire consequences. But how do they tame their fear? They tap into their reserves of courage. After all, to fail is human, but to rebuild oneself after failure is an act of courage.
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