I AM A JAMMUITE: Kabhi Pass, Kabhi Fail

Every effort, every honest attempt, every fall and rise, is part of the same beautiful class called Zindagi.

Anil Kumar Sharma

Kahin fail, kahin pass,
Yahi hai zindagi ka class.
Kisi din hansna, kisi din rona,
Bas isi ka hai sab afsana.

In life, “pass” doesn’t always mean success, and “fail” doesn’t always mean defeat. To me, pass represents those moments when our efforts bear fruit, and fail represents those times when we give our best yet the outcome doesn’t match our expectations. But the truth is, even those so called failures carry immense value. The dedication, sincerity, and effort we put in are themselves a form of success.

I have come to believe that success and failure are both destined. What truly matters is the journey, the small victories, the quiet learnings, and the strength we gather along the way. Every milestone, whether labeled pass or fail, adds meaning to our story.

There is a well known fable about Christopher Columbus. When Spanish nobles dismissed his voyage as mere luck, Columbus challenged them to make a boiled egg stand upright. None could. He then gently tapped the egg, flattening its tip so it stood. “Once you see the move,” he said, “it seems inevitable.”

Success often looks simple, but only after someone else has shown the way. Behind every breakthrough lie countless failures, rejections, and moments of doubt.

Think of Airbnb, once mocked as a “serial killer app.” Or Apple, ridiculed for removing the keyboard from its first iPhone. Or Netflix, dismissed by Blockbuster. The best ideas often look foolish until they succeed. True success is when everyone agrees with you later.

As Nietzsche said, “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”

So dance to your own rhythm. Let others join later.

People say:
“Good things come to those who believe,
Better things come to those who have patience,
And the best things happen to those who don’t give up.”

The Japanese proverb Nanakorobi Yaoki, “Fall down seven times, stand up eight,” beautifully captures the spirit of resilience. Success is not about never falling, but about rising again every time we do.

Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. I either win or learn.” That, perhaps, is the truest definition of success, to see every setback not as failure but as a lesson. Each stumble teaches us something about ourselves, about life, and about what it takes to stand taller the next time.

I was recently listening to a podcast of Raj Shamani with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Nawaz shared that during his early days in the film industry, he went through severe struggles and even had suicidal thoughts. Yet through conviction and faith, he kept going and later earned recognition through films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Kahani. His earlier films may not have been commercial successes, but they were no less meaningful. When destiny finally turned in his favor, those earlier failures no longer looked like failures, they became the foundation of his triumph.

I also recall a touching moment from my professional life. A colleague’s nephew, who had just been elected as an MLA, came to our office to seek his aunt’s blessings. With tears in her eyes, she recalled how years ago he couldn’t get a job in our bank after his post graduation, even as his close friend did. He had made a rule with his father not to seek any recommendation or approach for the job. “Had he got that appointment,” she murmured, “he would have been working with us today.”

But destiny had other plans. What looked like a failure back then turned out to be the pathway to success in another field.

The success of Indian women cricketers doesn’t mean that the girls who showed their talent and courage in earlier World Cup matches were any less inspiring. In fact, the present generation has learned a lot from their struggles and setbacks, drawing inspiration from both their journey and the triumphs of the World Cup winning men’s team. When destiny finally blessed them with success, combined with their hard work and belief, they earned their rightful place on the podium. Today, names like Kaur, Rodrigues, Ghosh, and Yadav are inscribed in the golden pages of women’s cricket history.

That is life, kabhi pass, kabhi fail.

But every effort, every honest attempt, every fall and rise, is part of the same beautiful class called Zindagi.

Main apni dhun ka aadmi hoon,
Kabhi jeeta hoon, kabhi marta hoon;
Kabhi uthta hoon, kabhi baith jaata hoon
Duniya ke paimane se khud ko na tolta hoon,
Na pass hoon, na fail, bas apna safar hoon.

(I am a person of my own tune;
Sometimes I win, sometimes I fall;
Sometimes I rise, sometimes I rest
I do not measure myself by the world’s scales;
Neither pass nor fail, I am simply my journey.)

(Straight Talk Communications Exclusive)