Failure

 Does failure define your life? Kieran Setiya explains what this means in Chapter 4 of his book "Life is Hard." Setiya mentions how failure is often looked at as identity of one instead of an event. He goes on to argue that failure should not be used to define yourself. When we fail an exam, for example, we often begin to see ourselves as a failure. I have failed this exam therefore I am a failure to society. Setiya would argue that is not the case at all. He starts the chapter describing some of his personal failures and how these failures do not risk defining his life as a loser. Our failures should be looked at as a learning opportunity and we grow accordingly. Everyone makes "mistakes," but it is about how you take these mistakes and proceed to make it to be moving forward. 

This famous quote from Winston Churchill also goes along with Kieran Setiya's argument of failure.

Kieran Setiya also brings up the idea of telic vs atelic. Aristotle described these two actions as telic being something you can exhaust and the atelic as something with no limit. Some examples of telic mentioned in the book is the alphabet or building a home. Atleic examples used were walking home, however, the destination is not specific. Parenting is also another example of atelic. Setiya goes on to explain that we care too much about telic and set ourselves up for failure. 

Aristotle quote:

“But if you are learning, you have not at the same time learned, and if you are being cured you have not at the same time been cured. Someone, however, who is living well, has at the same time lived well.”

Is your journey to success more or less important to the destination itself? 

This was the discussion question I asked during my presentation. I personally believe the journey is what makes the destination. In other words, the destination is not worth it if the journey getting there is not meaningful. Kieran Setiya explains his life story as not being a regret itself, but comparing his life to a project was regretful. His academic story is to earn his PHD, land a job, teach, publish an article, and a book. All of these are amazing accomplishments, but did not enjoy the journey getting to these achievements. I feel like this something most of can relate to. It's almost like we create an itinerary for how we expect to live life. What's the point of any of it if we are not enjoying the time in between? We just end up getting comfortable at the end and may get boring after all the work it took to achieve these goals.   

Richard St. John Ted Talk:

Richard St. John: "Success is a continuous journey"

Richard St. John goes over the journey of success and explained a never ending path not only to achieve success, but to sustain it as well.

1. PASSION 

2.WORK 

3. FOCUS 

4. PUSH 

5. IDEAS 

6. IMPROVE 

7. SERVE 

8. PERSIST

Success and failure looks different to each individual. We, as a society, have to refrain from the idea that once succeeded, this is the end. Additionally, as soon as we come across an obstacle and fail at something, that is the end. The journey is a never ending cycle. Our failures do not define us. That would mean we would be disregarding everything else we work towards. Instead, take that failed event and prove to yourself otherwise. Kieran Setiya mentioned a quote from Joe Moran, "to call call any life for failure or a success is to miss the infinite granularity the inexhaustible miscellany of all lives. A life can't really succeed or fail at all it can only be lived." This goes back to the idea of living atelic. A failed life or a successful life is not a real idea. We live life and continue doing so until we no longer are alive. We are who make the lifetime worthy.

Setiya ends the chapter quoting Douglas, "there are in the world no such men as self-made men that term implies an individual independence of the past and present which can never exist our best and most valued acquisitions have been obtained either from our contemporaries or from those who have preceded us in the field of thought and discovery we have all either begged borrowed or stolen." The author goes on to explain this quote. He says we care how we are viewed as a society and how others will view us as either winners or losers. He argues we should change it using failure and acknowledge the reasons of social and economic inequality. 

Life is Hard - Kieran Setiya