About the Book Failure is, in fact, a stepping stone to success! Success rarely comes without previous failed attempts. If we look at the lives of most high achievers, we find that they have had to make multiple attempts before they clicked. People often feel dejected when they fail at something. However, failure is success if we learn from it. Success is all about having the right mindset. Even if you do not succeed initially, with Patience, Persistence, and Perseverance, you can walk the path to success.

This book tells you what to do and how to do, offering tips on achieving your goals, based on the writer's personal experiences and observation of others. Peppered with powerful quotations, and the sayings of Imam All (AS) and the Bhagavad Geeta, this book will transform the way you look at failure, and will act as a spur to achievement and the attainment of success.

"It's a must have priceless possession for anyone who is ready to accept and embrace failure as an integral part of success." - Dr. Chander Mohan, Chief Architect, Organizational & Human Excellence, CMC Global, Dubai, UAE

"Enlightening, revealing, eye opener. The book brings out some great lessons, a confluence of thoughts from ages... a must read for everyone." - Kamlesh Gandhi, Retd. Investment Banker, Mumbai

"I am sanguine that the book will help the readers in many ways to shape themselves in their pursuance of success. I wish the author and the book a wide appreciation and readership." - Sneh Deep Agnihotri, Retd. GM, SBI

About the Author Saiyid Safdar Abbas Zaidi, an associate member of the Indian Institute of Bankers, (IIBF) Mumbai, is a retired Banker with almost four decades of banking experience in local and international banks. He has written extensively on varied subjects and his articles on management have been compiled in a book titled Managerial Skills. He is the author of the bestselling book Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Terrorism Financing and Know Your Customers-Bankers Handbook. He was also a columnist for Moneylife.

He retired from Commercial Bank of Dubai, UAE, as Head, Career Development, where he successfully implemented the Mentoring and Emiratization (Localization) policies.

Foreword Years of working from a humble position to a position of importance certainly add valuable experience which needs to be distilled for the benefit of others who might be toiling along the way and may be lost as to the steps they could take to climb up. Mr. Zaidi is one good example of a school teacher who went through various positions and came to be recognised as a Senior Banking Trainer in banking industry in India and abroad. His stint in Dubai is particularly remarkable for the success he has achieved in the banking industry. In the present volume, Mr. Zaidi has attempted to extract some wisdom about success and failure from his own distinguished experience and present a blueprint for all those who are seeking success in their respective spheres. He has drawn upon age-old wisdom from Imam Ali (as) and the Bhagavad Geeta which has certainly embellished the work. Mr. Zaidi rightly realised that each individual is unique and therefore one need not copy anyone to succeed. One needs patience, persistence and perseverance to achieve one's goal. Generally, failure breeds despair and despondency but his advice is that failure can teach many lessons one can learn to achieve success. That reminds one of the most distinguished writers of the Harry Potter novels, J.K. Rowling, who delivered a convocation speech at Harvard University after going through failures in life before she achieved success. The book by Mr. Zaidi is a very instructive guide for those who are seeking to grow out of their failures and achieve success in life.

I have great pleasure in introducing the book and commending it especially for the younger generation who generally do not have the tolerance for failure and are anxious to achieve success the short and quick way.

Let me wish Mr. Zaidi, an old professional colleague and a friend, all the best in bringing out this work. I wish that many people take advantage of the distillation of wisdom that is presented in this volume.

Preface This book is my own attempt in that direction.

I wanted this book to be without a preface and to get straight to the subject, but I was reminded of a Hebrew proverb: "A book without a preface is like a body without soul." I did not want my book to be without a soul, and therefore decided to pen a few words as preface with the following quotation from English theologian Julius Charles Hare: "If I am addressing one of that numerous class who read to be told what to think, let me advise you to meddle with this book no further. But if you are building up your opinions for yourself, and only want to be provided with materials, you may meet with many things in these pages to suit you."

This book provides sufficient material that will enable you to form your own opinions. A book on What to do and How to do offering tips on achieving success, based on the writer's personal experiences and observation of others' behaviour, should be an easy-to-read narration. I have made a modest attempt to collate and describe the tips that have benefitted me personally and included the mantras or ideas that I have observed people acting upon and succeeding.

I make no personal claims regarding the ideas mentioned in the book; you might be familiar with many of them. This book is a collection of success mantras that have been tested and adopted by people who aspired to succeed and have succeeded.

I have had my share of successes and failures too. I began my career as a school teacher and worked my way up to the post of principal of a banking training college. I endeavoured further and became the joint president of a finance company, eventually retiring as the career development head of Commercial Bank of Dubai, a very prestigious Dubai-based bank. This long journey, lined with some road blocks, continued motivating me and fuelled my determination of joining the club of published writers/authors. And I did succeed with my work as a writer; my articles on diverse topics, such as banking, anti-money laundering, management, leadership, customer service relationship management, and communication, have appeared in various newspapers and magazines in both India and the Middle East. My articles on management and leadership were compiled and published in a booklet titled Managerial Skills. In addition, I have authored a book titled Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Terrorism Financing and Know Your Customer-Bankers' Handbook which went into second edition print. The book has been adjudged the best book on the subject. I would not have been able to achieve all this, had I not religiously followed the principles presented in this book.

As one goes through life, there are millions of hurdles, some small and some really big, that create roadblocks in life. My life is no exception. But, my courage, determination, will, and tenacity helped me overcome these difficulties and adversities.

There are numerous books and articles on self-help techniques to achieve success.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages