In life, every endeavor leads to one of two outcomes: failure or success.
What makes me different is that when success comes, I always remember my first failure. I am grateful for failure, for without that initial setback, there would be no subsequent success. I do not seek to surpass others, but only to surpass myself. If yesterday's achievements were high but today remains the same, it means no progress has been made. Although I dislike the frustration and cruelty that failure brings, I have learned to appreciate the lessons it teaches. That particular failure remains vivid in my memory.
Since the first grade, my essays were always highly rated, marked with a bright red "Excellent." I loved that rating; the first time I received it, I was overjoyed and fell in love with writing. At that time, I felt that "Excellent" was Ms. Qi's validation of my ability, which motivated me to work even harder. In sixth grade, I was somewhat distracted while writing an essay, and my organization was poor. For the first time, I received a "Good" instead of an "Excellent." I was devastated, struggling to hold back my tears. Seeing classmates who usually performed worse than me receive "Pass" grades made my heart ache. It was then that I realized how much I loved writing, how much I valued Ms. Qi's evaluation, and how much I wanted to be better than my past self. I tore up that essay on the spot, telling myself, "I love writing; 'Good' is not enough; I will always strive for excellence." I then carefully restructured my thoughts and resubmitted it to my beloved Ms. Qi. When that beautiful "Excellent" appeared on my page again, I was overwhelmed with excitement.
I have come to realize that if I become accustomed to failure, I will never achieve success. I must not decline; I must be better today than I was yesterday. I will extract the essence from failure to move toward success! When I succeed, I always think of that "Good", that failure, that "Excellent", that success, and the unforgettable Ms. Qi.
Success always stems from failure; today must be better than yesterday. This is my motto, and it will accompany me throughout my life.
