How to Get Over Failure and Start Afresh With UPSC Preparation?
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter.
Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.
You won’t believe what you can accomplish by attempting the impossible with the courage to repeatedly fail better.”
- Samuel Beckett.
If you are struggling with the scenario where you see yourself failing or if you have tried already and failed in your attempt to clear the IAS exam, just remember, that was anything but the end of the world. Each day brings us new opportunities and blesses us with time. This fleeting thing called time is of utmost importance. Only a fool would waste it in mourning the past.
UPSC is an examination that tests every aspect of the candidates. It is far more than just knowledge of subjects; it examines the personality, strength, and nerves of each aspirant, and only the fittest survive. You can be the fittest if you try, prepare, and get up when this exam knocks you down. Even in the course of service, officers face failure in certain cases. If they are unable to deal with it effectively then they fail in their agenda of serving the country as a whole. The real exam is life; all of these are just preparations for facing life as an honourable civil servant.
You might be caged by your fears, but whatever stage you are at, push yourself out of what holds you back. With a clear mind, think about where you went wrong the last time, or if you are scared of making your first attempt, think about what is the thing which makes you feel incompetent or unprepared. Once you know what you are lacking, work on it. Analyse and Practice! That’s the key to success, and that’s exactly what you can do at SprintUPSC.
In case this is your first attempt, practice as you study. In case this is not your first attempt, you must revisit your strategy. If there were loopholes in the way you studied, revised or managed your time the last time, then fill out those holes.
Our minds can be easily tricked. Use rewards as your motivation; each time you accomplish a small goal, like completing a chapter or a topic, or acing a practice test, treat yourself with something you love. You must celebrate the joy of accomplishing a set goal. Read the stories of other officers who could not make it in their first or even the third attempt. Read stories of people just like you and me, who, with focus and dedication, made it to their dreams.
Nothing can ever come out of sitting back and complaining, you just have to make your way through fire or even the ocean. Just remember that whatever it is in front of you, it is something that you can get through. Don’t let the fear of failure or the trauma of past failure keep you from giving your best shot again. If you are scared of failure, use that fear to prepare better. If you are stuck in that moment where you saw that your name has not made it to the selected list of candidates, remind yourself of the days you were lazy or too tired to work hard. Don’t lag this time! You have already covered the UPSC syllabus, your strategy might have been wrong. Again – Analyse and Practice. Use what you already know to kick-start your preparation better this time. Who knows, you might just have an edge over others now!