Don’t let your past failures define you, let them build you. Turn every setback into the wings that lift you higher.
Success Lights Part 3 – Take Advantage of Your Past Failure and Succeed
I remember it like yesterday. Back in secondary school, I got a P7 in Physics. That one result crushed my dream of studying Civil Engineering. The funny thing is, I never really loved physics or mathematics — I was simply following the crowd.
And that’s the silent struggle many young people face today. They chase careers like Law, Medicine, Accounting, Engineering — not because they feel called to them, but because it’s what everyone else is doing.
When I saw that result, I felt disappointed and defeated. Because of it, I ended up studying Laboratory Science — Microbiology and Virology. But even then, I refused to settle. I decided to rewrite my WAEC exams and added Literature, Government, Economics, and other social science subjects.
Today, I’m not a Civil Engineer. But by God’s mercy and the guidance of wise mentors, I’ve become something much more:
- A Social Engineer — shaping lives and communities.
- A Legal Engineer — building justice and strong systems through law.
- A Public Health Engineer — influencing health policies and reforms.
- A Management Science Engineer — designing sustainable structures for growth.
These titles weren’t given to me overnight. They were earned through pain, perseverance, and a decision to turn failure into fuel.
Since then, I’ve learned to see failure differently. I no longer see it as a barrier, but as a guidepost. I’ve learned to fail forward, to grow stronger, and to fly higher.
Many people spend all their energy mourning over failure. But true winners don’t just fail — they fail and then fly.
Take a moment today. Write down your past failures — every heartbreak, every missed opportunity, every closed door. Then ask yourself: how can I turn these into my greatest wings?
Let your setbacks become your setups. Let your pain become your platform.
Now, hear me: whether you are a doctor, lawyer, teacher, engineer, entrepreneur, designer, media personnel, policy maker, artisan, trader, pastor, or musician — it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve failed; what matters is how intentionally you work with your failure until it starts working for you.
Failure is not your enemy. It is your raw material. Process it. Learn from it. Use it to rise.
This is what we stand for at Faithhouse Leadership Church — raising men and women who turn failure into strength, move from frustration to purpose, and grow from average to exceptional through divine truth, discipline, and visionary leadership.
Refuse to be grounded by your past. Let your failures become your fuel.
Keep shining your success lights!
Barrister Ikenna Emmanuel
Pastor | Nation Builder | Lawyer | Leadership Mentor
📞 +2348035003594
🌐 www.faithhouseleadership.org
Facebook: Faithhouse Leadership Church
✉️ ikennaemmanuel1977@gmail.com
