Let me ask a question: Who do you think is the person that failed the greatest in all history? This is an intriguing question. The truth of the matter is that we might not know the answer to this question if we look only at recorded history. There are people both good and bad who have encountered the greatest failures in their lives. However, due to the nature of the question, you would find some speculations and assumptions varying from one person to another depending on what they cherish in life.

Some would say that Adolf Hitler was the greatest failure in history. Others would even say, “My mum”, or “My dad”. In short, the answers we would get would be subjective and would vary from person to person depending on how their take on life is.

There are two types of people. Those who do good and those who do bad. Both parties encounter failure in their pursuits. For example, January 28 1986 would always go down in history as one of the greatest failures for NASA. On that fateful day, the space shuttle Challenger went up in flames seventy three seconds after take-off. The then President Ronald Reagan issued one of the most powerful speeches of all time. But guess what? NASA kept going to space all the way up to 2011, moving on very swiftly from their “failure” in 1986.

The Greatest “Failure”

To me, I think if you wanted to know who the greatest failure is, then you will have to look at the greatest valuable product ever made. You know what that is? It is you and I: Mankind. Who made man? God did. And to me, God at some point was the greatest failure in the entire Universe! Now that is not blasphemy, but it is the truth. You make man in your image and then millions of them tell you that you do not exist, use your name as curse words and totally walk away from you!

In fact, the sorriest words you would ever hear never were spoken by a man, but they were spoken by God. This is what he said, “It grieves me that I made man!” Pause and think about that.

If God could fail and fail miserably as He did, then it also follows that we are candidates of failure too. God “attempted” to create the greatest masterpiece of all time. After he was through with the galaxies, he crowned his creation by making mankind.

Traits of the Greatest Failures

It follows then that the greatest failures in life are those who attempted the greatest thing, whether good or bad! You can count them. It therefore also turns out that some of the greatest achievers of all time are necessarily those who mounted the greatest comebacks from their failures.

Our greatest contemporary example of course is one Steve Jobs. He founded Apple Inc and was thrown out of his own company by the board. Can you believe that? Yet when the same company started floundering, they went looking for Jobs. His second stint at Apple will arguably the best and the greatest comeback of all time! Apple produced ground-breaking and disruptive products again and again and again.

And Now…The Most Powerful Comeback

Of course this must have been masterminded by the greatest failure in the universe: God! This was Genius. One single incident in history reversed this failure and mounted perhaps the biggest success ever in the universe. God crossed His righteousness, justice and peace with sin and through that act, he was able to buy back all of mankind to him: Back to the original plan! Excuse me, this is not religion, because religion is where we try to figure God out. This is redemption. This is a well masterminded comeback!

What is the Most Powerful Weapon for a Comeback?

This is a good question. Many people are interested in knowing how to mastermind a comeback seeing that we all agree that at some point in time, we shall fail or experience heartbreak. I submit to you that of all the greatest comebacks in life, there was just one weapon that proved to be the silver bullet. In fact, this one weapon was what caused the greatest failure in the first place!

So before we can discuss it, let us see how many people try to mastermind their comebacks and gauge these weapons against what other great visionaries have been using:

1.Will Power

This is a strong weapon in the arsenal of a visionary. In fact will power is possessed not by everybody. But let us look at the power of will power against the insurmountable task of masterminding a comeback. Is it sufficient? Did NASA proceed with their space program because of will power? Did God mount the greatest comeback because of will power? Did Steve Jobs achieve the greatest ever in his life due to will power? I suggest that will power had something to do with all these comebacks, but it was not the main motivator.

2.Survival Instincts

If you lose your job, what happens? You do not die. You make do with what you can to eke out a living. In other words, life proceeds, the clock still ticks and you still survive. But take a look at it: How great is a weapon of survival instincts in terms of mounting an incredible comeback? Well, not so much. Survival instinct is a great weapon I must say, but it is in to enough. The word survival does not equate to comeback. It equates to holding on and managing. It equates to stopping the bleed to stay alive. However, staying alive is not the greatest reason for being.

3.Self-Worth

When a girl you have fallen in love with refuses your advances, your self-worth is at stake. Self-worth is one of the greatest weapons you can use for success. However, it is self-centred other than “others-centred.” God, Steve Jobs and NASA did not rely on self-worth to mastermind their comebacks. Think about that.

4.Motivation

The most quoted person in the subject of motivation is the late Zig Ziglar. He says, “Many people say that motivation does not last. Well so does bathing and that is why we recommend it daily”. Of course motivation is a seriously great weapon in anyone’s arsenal. However, to mount a comeback that will last, will motivation alone do it? I think not. Why? Because motivation is only an appendage in that it serves a greater master.

5.Friends

Well-meaning friends can help you get right back up. But you have to realize something: A complete comeback must depend on a potent weapon. In other words, that weapon must be available to you at all times. Your friends want to see you do well. So they will provide words and sometimes resources to last only a while. Thereafter, they will become tired of your “project”. Why? They have theirs! Some of them might even experience their own setbacks to begin with. God, Steve Jobs and NASA did not rely on their friends in order to mount a comeback!

6.Mentors

If you lack mentors, you risk messing around and going in circles. You miss having the cutting edge of productivity. Mentors are one of the greatest weapons you can ever wield if you need a comeback. In fact, if you had no mentors and you are going through a setback, what drudgery! However, mentors only use what you have already to build your comeback.

7. The Greatest Comeback Weapon

This single weapon is in fact the very reason why the whole mess begun in the first place. Look at God. Look at NASA. Look at Steve Jobs. In their greatest inventions, they were all guided by a greater than life cause! That is it.

If you do not have this sorted out, then my friend, there is no comeback to go back to! The greatest weapon for resilience for any soul is the weapon of purpose. That is what God had from before the beginning. That is also what Steve Jobs had. Purpose also is what NASA had from way back in 1960 when JFK delivered the famous “Moon Speech”.

So if you are looking to equip your arsenal with the greatest comeback weapon, start by having a life of purpose. For when the storms come and rage, the anchor for your purpose will remain alive, never to be shaken.