I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences.
Sonia SotomayorRead
You know, failure hurts. Any kind of failure stings. If you live in the sting, you will - undoubtedly - fail. My way of getting past the sting is to say no, I'm just not going to let this get me down.
Interpretation
Failure is painful, but one must not dwell on it to overcome challenges.
In this quote, Sonia Sotomayor emphasizes the inevitability of experiencing failure and the associated pain it brings. However, she advocates for a proactive approach to dealing with these setbacks by refusing to allow the sting of failure to dictate one's mindset and decisions, instead choosing to rise above the adversities faced.
In practice
In a motivational speech to young entrepreneurs discussing overcoming challenges.
I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences.
This wealth of experiences, personal and professional, have helped me appreciate the variety of perspectives that present themselves in every case that I hear.
I was fifteen years old when I understood how it is that things break down: people can't imagine someone else's point of view.
The truth is that since childhood I had cultivated an existential independence. It came from perceiving the adults around me as unreliable, and without it I felt I wouldn't have survived. I cared deeply for everyone in my family, but in the end I depended on myself.
As you discover what strength you can draw from your community in this world from which it stands apart, look outward as well as inward. Build bridges instead of walls.
There are uses to adversity, and they don't reveal themselves until tested. Whether it's serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, difficulty can tap unexpected strengths.
I'm fifty-one years old, but I'm not through yet. I have lived a full life, and intend packing in quite a lot more.
Be bold. If you're going to make an error, make a doozy, and don't be afraid to hit the ball.
Our task is to become our best selves. One of God's greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final.
It is a sin not to do what one is capable of doing.
In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
Younger people have so many opportunities. I don't see any pessimism among them.
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