"我从不失败。我要么赢，要么学。"

The essence of this quote is that every experience, whether it leads to success or failure, offers something valuable. If you win, that’s great — you’ve achieved your goal. But if you lose, there’s a lesson in it. So, in a sense, you never truly lose because you gain knowledge and experience that can help you in the future.

This mindset has roots in resilience and growth mindset theories. It’s about seeing failures not as dead ends but as stepping stones. Nelson Mandela, who knew a thing or two about overcoming adversity, is often associated with this outlook. Imagine facing 27 years in prison. Most would see that as losing a huge chunk of their life, but Mandela used that time to reflect, learn, and plan. When he was released, he was ready to lead.

Think about it this way: picture a young entrepreneur, let’s call her Sarah, who starts her own tech company. She pours her heart and soul into it, but after a year, the company fails. It’s easy to see this as a loss, but Sarah takes a different view. She analyzes what went wrong. She realizes her marketing strategy was off, her team wasn’t aligned, and her product didn’t quite meet a market need. Instead of giving up, she takes these lessons and starts a new venture. This time, she’s more prepared and eventually succeeds. By seeing her initial failure as a learning experience, Sarah turns it into a stepping stone to success.

Applying this wisdom in your own life starts with a shift in perspective. When you face a setback, instead of getting discouraged, ask yourself what you can learn from the experience. What went wrong? What could you have done differently? How can you use this knowledge moving forward? It’s all about being proactive and reflective rather than reactive.

Now, let’s ground this in a relatable scenario. Think about learning to ride a bike as a kid. The first time you tried, you probably fell. Maybe you scraped your knee and felt like giving up. But each fall taught you something. You learned about balance, the importance of looking ahead, and how to pedal smoothly. Each tumble wasn't a loss but a lesson. Eventually, those lessons added up, and you were zipping around the neighborhood, feeling the wind in your hair. You never really lost; you just learned until you succeeded.

In everyday life, this might mean not getting the job you interviewed for. Rather than seeing it as a defeat, you can analyze the feedback, refine your resume, and improve your interview skills. The next opportunity that comes along, you’ll be better prepared. Or maybe it’s about a project at work that didn’t go as planned. What can you take away from that experience to make the next project a success?

Remember, this approach isn’t about avoiding the disappointment of failure — it’s about transforming that disappointment into a learning opportunity. So next time something doesn't go your way, take a step back. Breathe. Reflect. Ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Then take that lesson and move forward, armed with new knowledge and ready to tackle the next challenge. You’re not losing. You’re learning. And that’s a win in itself.