Failure is a universal experience, yet it remains
one of the most feared aspects of life.
We are conditioned to avoid it, to view it as an endpoint rather than a detour. However, failure can be one of our greatest teachers.
I have failed more times than I can count. Three significant moments relating to my veterinary career stand out.
1969: First Year of Veterinary School
In 1969, fresh out of high school at the age of 18, I failed my first year of veterinary school at the University of Sydney. I had entered the program with enthusiasm, but enthusiasm alone wasn't enough. My study habits were insufficient, my approach unstructured, and I underestimated the sheer volume of material I needed to master.
At that moment, it felt like the end of the road. But instead of giving up, I reassessed my approach. I sought guidance, learned to study more effectively, and restructured my time. When I returned, I succeeded. Not just in passing my first year, but in ultimately becoming a veterinarian. That failure taught me resilience and the importance of adapting when things don’t go as planned. It was a hard lesson.
1976 (and 1977): Internship in the US
After completing veterinary school, I set my sights on an internship in the United States in 1976 and again in 1977. I applied with high hopes. However, rejection after rejection came back. A failed year of veterinary school on my transcript didn’t inspire confidence! It wasn’t just disappointing. It was crushing. The dream I had envisioned so clearly seemed out of reach.
Instead of letting that failure define me, I pivoted. I sought alternative paths, gained more experience, and refused to let the setbacks break my confidence. Eventually, I found my way into an internship training program in Canada. Failure forced me to be flexible, to look for different doors when the first ones slammed shut.
1980: ACVIM General Examination
A few years later, I faced yet another failure. On my first attempt I did not pass the general examination for the ACVIM (American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine) certification in Neurology. I was close to passing – but that only counts in … After years of study, effort, and dedication, the rejection felt personal. Was I not good enough? Had I reached my limits?
But limits are meant to be pushed. I regrouped, sought advice, studied harder, learned from my mistakes, and approached the material differently. On my second attempt, I passed. That failure taught me that expertise isn’t always built on talent alone. It’s also built on persistence.
Reaction to Failure
Acknowledge the Pain: Failure hurts. Pretending it doesn’t won’t make it easier. Allow yourself to feel the disappointment, but don’t let it consume you.
Analyze What Went Wrong: Was it preparation? Approach? External circumstances? Understanding the reasons behind failure helps prevent repeating the same mistakes.
Adjust Your Approach: If something didn’t work, try another way. Adaptability is often the key to eventual success.
Seek Guidance: Mentors, colleagues, and friends can provide perspective and support. You don’t have to navigate failure alone.
Try Again: The only true failure is giving up entirely. As long as you keep moving forward, failure is just another step toward success.
Rick’s Commentary
Looking back, I wouldn’t trade these failures for an easier path. Well – actually, that’s not quite true. I would! However, these failures made me who I am today. Each setback forced me to reassess, to learn, and to grow.
Failure is not a full stop ("period" in the US). It’s more of a comma.
Failure redirects you, refines you, and reveals your true resilience. So, when you stumble, don’t stay down. Get up, learn from it, and keep moving forward. Your greatest achievements might just be on the other side of your biggest setbacks.
And so ... As an aspiring author and illustrator of children’s picture books, I find myself once again reflecting on why my stories haven’t yet reached the huge audience I had envisioned!
Through my experiences with failure, I’ve come to realize that failure is not an endpoint. Rather, it’s a lesson and a challenge.
My passion for wildlife, the environment, writing, photography and conservation remains unwavering, and I still believe in the power of storytelling to shape young minds. Perhaps failure isn’t telling me to stop, but rather to adapt, persist, and try once more.
To do better. To try harder. To seek advice from others.
And those things, I am ready to do.
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