While preparing for the civil services exam I usually came across a lot of motivational quotes that said a lot about failures. Like
Don’t be afraid to fail, be afraid to try.
This one by Thomas Edison.
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.
After 4 failed attempts, I was not only afraid to fail, but also to try.
Most of us have heard these quotes all through our childhood, professional careers, academics and personal life. But how often do we really talk about failures?
If failure is so important, shouldn’t it be a part of our conversations? Don’t stories of failure also deserve to be told?
We love listening to success stories. We derive inspiration from them. We try to fit ourselves in the shoes of successful people. And while doing all this we completely ignore those who failed.
No matter if they worked hard or not.
No matter if they tried or not.
No matter how dedicated they were.
TVF’s latest web series Aspirants comes as a breath of fresh air for a society that believes in only telling its stories of success.
While the show focuses on Abhilash’s journey, it tells us the stories of characters who failed to realise their dreams even after giving their best.
We are always told: Dream big. Aspirants reminds us that dreams may not always work and that’s okay. All throughout the series, the audience invests itself in the character of Sandeep bhaiya – a UPSC aspirant who has cleared the Mains exam twice during 4 years of his preparation.
So obviously, everyone wanted him to become an IAS officer. He did not. But his story was the one that will give us motivation every time we dare to dream big.
As a society, we’ve been programmed to talk about success. We’re advised that anything other than success must be covered up and forgotten soon.
Even in the stories of people who succeeded after failing, we focus on their success, not their failures.
Through SK’s character, the web series tells the story of those who do not give up despite constant failures and loneliness. Those who do not want to be a burden on anyone. Those who do not have a plan B if plan A fails.
It captures the very soul of dreaming, no matter if these dreams get shattered every day. It teaches us to find happiness in what we love doing.
In our regular Bollywood films characters are shown to defy all odds and win eventually. This doesn’t happen in reality. Only a handful win. The rest of us live to narrate our tales of failures.
These tales need to be written and talked about. I believe they are full of inspiration too. Just like that of SK, Sandeep bhaiya, Guri and Dhairya.
Your failure story might not make your success stronger, it will just give words to your failures and inspiration to many others. TVF’s Aspirants just changed the narrative and brilliantly.