Munmun Samanta
‘Failure is the pillar of success’- though it is a hackneyed idiom, its appeal is never-ending. And this universal truth is presented in a new wrapper in this book, “An Interview with Failure” by Sam Yankelevitch. The author has presented a unique approach to failure with his distinguished wisdom and guidance. Most precisely Sam Yankelevitch has turned upside down the common notions regarding our responses towards failure.
"Remove power from the words that close your space. Give power to the words that open your space." Page 155
Yes, words have every power to control us whether we wish or not. Our inner voices speak within us, constantly nab us in every project that we take part in. But the reality of the situation is that most of those voices are not ours but others' whom we believe more than our potential.
Language changes its significance at different levels, for different people. We use distinctive phrases and words to define and specify failures. But are we sure about the specific designation of the term, ‘Failure’? With the change of time the terms related to defining failure change. New terms are used to call names. The author has elucidated his point through examples. For example, 'cleaning' does not have the same denotation for an adult and a child.
"I'm just a word, Robin, I don’t carry anything and if you’re talking about meanings, meanings are carried by humans, not by words.” Page 25
This book can be a well-acknowledged book on language evolution that exposes the arbitrary relationship between a word and its meaning. The author uses the storytelling method to make it clear. The story of two frogs is very insightful. It teaches us how to 'turn a deaf ear to inner critic' page 58. Failure is personified in this book as he answers the question as an interviewee, asked by Robin, the interviewer.
I also like the concept of constellation, how we connect the dots and name them. Naming the stars together gives them identity. We measure failure by certain means and this meaning varies from person to person. It is personal. Failure, like success, is an illusion. No specific boundary can encircle it.
The book is wonderful in its unique approach to life and our responses to it as moulded and prescribed by society. Failure and success are two sides of the same coin. It is our attitude to them that changes their roles in our lives. There is nothing that I dislike about this book. The book is professionally edited. I rate the book 5 out of 5 and recommend it to everyone eager to flip the coin for success. The narrative technique is stunning with a unique style of interview. At the end of each chapter, there is a quotation. I enjoy those pieces of wisdom. A philosophic tone, mixed with insight and humour transports the readers to an absorbing reading. I wish to read other books by Sam Yankelevitch like “Walking the Invisible Gemba”, “The Next Lean Frontier,” “Global Lean: Seeing the New Waste Rooted in Communication”, “Distance and Culture” etc.
