I come from a large extended family which has grown to over 80 people with parents, sons, daughters, daughters in-law, grand sons and daughters just as a small community.

All of us the kids were just growing up with the joy of companionship and innocency.

How it all started

However, when I was growing up, i was very intelligent and was always taking the 1st position for my primary school career and 2nd position for my high school studies. It was just natural not necessarily that I was reading so hard than others.I remember getting prizes and awards severally for the best student of the year.

Although I never noticed the resentment in the faces or attitudes of one of my uncles may be because i was naive and young and very free with my life.

One day he told me that it is not about performing greatly in school but getting successful in life. That he would not actually want to see me go to school cos i may overshadow others in the large family.

Well, I didn't actaully understand him, never took it to heart, or told my parents about it.

Afterwards, I started noticing changes in his behaviour towards me and low spirit he exhibits anytime I made my exploits.

I took that as a challenge and was spurred beyond my natural phlegmatic slow-and-steady make-up.

I wanted to prove to him wrong and surprise him.

Today, I have gone through the university and has been working for over 8 years and he has been seeing me.

Benefits of being challenged as a failure

• It spurs you to take a critical look and evaluation of your person whether you are a failure or not. I illustrated this fully in the hub-The Patterns of failure
  

• It reveals your weaknesses to you

• It incites you to look out for your strengths and potentials

• It is a catalyst for driving you to be a successful person

How to overcome the challenge of being seen as a failure

• don't get offended or take it personal

• find out the reason behind the statement or assertion

• apply the priniciple of affirmation (words, thoughts, actions) that you will never be a failure.

• practice the priniciple of visualization where you see yourself achieve all your life objectives and act it in real life
  

My Candid Advice

If you have been told to your face that you will be a failure or would never succeed, don't take such statement as a curse, abuse or insult. Don't ever get discouraged, depressed or disappointed in the person.

You know what, the person has just kick started you for giant strides in life. Prove him/her absolutely wrong by adopting these principles.

Today, my uncle is surprised and hopefully regrets within himself for saying so.

I am a graduate with a good job, an apartment to lay my head, takes care of my dependants, has very good friends and enjoy much love from people around me and has a certified great and marvellous future.

What else!, but it is just the beginning.

So,brave up, write your own life script and print your footprints in the sands of time because you have been made to be at the top.

See you at the topmost.

Read other hubs on How to achieve Success