1. My Best Failure
Story in 2013
Dr. Zamzam Torabi

2. The
Story
I graduated as a pharmacist in June 2013. One
month before the graduation ceremony, I got an
email from the student secretariat regarding to the
details of the event. I was supposed to be happy but
it made me concerned:
" Would all the hard days of
studying, difficulties of living
abroad and separation from family
and friends be over by this
ceremony ? How will it end? Only
by a handshake and throwing the
robe hats away? Is that all ? ”

3. I wanted something more...
I didn't know why but I had the feeling that a
simple end was not enough for me. In fact, it was
neither a pay off for all the difficult years I had,
nor an appropriate compensation for my parents
who suffered the separation only to see me that
day.
The day after, I got another email from the
secretariat. They had opened the applications for
student speaker candidates, who can represent
international pharmaceutical students in the
graduation ceremony !
“ The complete applications has to be submitted in a

4. I decided to send the application and try my chance to finish this
ceremony in a way I want to.
One week later I got another email; my application was accepted. I was
going to be the representative of international students in the ceremony
!
The only question jumping to my mind was: What have I done??!!
The fear of speaking in front of hundreds of educated people had
already gripped me.
Although I was a good speaker, having many experiences to speak for
small to medium groups, this was my first time to give a speech for
hundreds of highly educated individuals.
Couple of days passed with a panic resulting from an uncontrolled fear.
But I should have completed what I had stared. I needed to act like a
professional so I begun reading essays on how to handle a speech,
watching lots of talks belonging to great people, having their styles
under a magnifier and tryingOpera Winfrey,
to mimic them.
Steve Jobs,
Barak Obama,
Martin Luther
King, ...

5. On the Ceremony…
Every body was happy. I was happy, anxious,
stressful and curious. My friends blamed me for
making the last day, a stressful day for myself but I
needed to do this.
After two weeks of practice, Finally I was ready to
give a good speech. My only thought was to be
brave, not to afraid, to give a perfect speech and not
to fall on heels
My name was announced, I went up there and the
only thing I remember is that after a couple of
seconds, I felt strong.
But every thing didn’t go well …

6. The hall lighting made me almost blind. I could see no
one in the front so I kept my head down during the
speech like an amateur speaker. Also the position of the
microphone was such a way that my voice could be
hardly heard.
I was so stressed out and concentrated on not to make a
mistake during the speech that I completely forgot to set
the microphone before starting to speak and ask the
helpers to turn one of the interfering projectors of.
In contrast to all my efforts and the nice and professional
text I had prepared, it didn’t become an acceptable
presentation.
"So my friends let's go in the direction of our dreams, live
the life that we have always imagined. May all of our lives
exceed even our wildest imaginations..... Thank you. ”
These were the last words I said.
That day was not a pay off for me but it was a pay off for
the all the fears I had.

7. In contrast to the positive reactions I got from
the audience during and after the speech, for a
long time I was thinking that maybe I shouldn't
have even applied, I was not the right person,
In contrast to
positive reactions got from the audience
why did I forget about the microphone, it wasIa
during
true failure, etc.and after the speech, for a long time I was thinking that
But now maybe I shouldn't have even applied, I was not the right
by watching the speech record again
person, why did I forget proud of
and again, I am feeling happy andabout the microphone, it was a true
failure, etc.
being selected by the dean of the faculty and
giving a But now byawatching the of scholars,
speech for large public speech record again and again, I am
studentsfeeling happy and proud of the first
and the university staff for being selected by dean of the
time, although it wasn't perfect and mistakefaculty and giving a speech for a large public of scholars,
less. I haven't failed, I have succeeded. for the first time, although it
students and the university staff
wasn't perfect and mistake-less.
Without any exaggerations, this speech actually altered the
course of my life. It didn't saturated my thirst but it made it
deeper. It made Without any exaggerations, this speech actually altered
me starve to learn more, improve the
the course of my leadership saturated my thirst but it
weaknesses and strengthen my life. It didn'tspirit.
made it deeper. It made me starve to learn more, improve
Now, more than any time, I understand that some times we spirit.
the weaknesses and strengthen my leadership
have to fight againstmore than any time, I understand that some times
Now fears by knowing that actions do not need
to be always perfect. Fear fight against fears by knowing that actions do
we have to of judgments can be reduced if we
understand thatnot need to always be perfect. Fear of judgments can be
by making a different step, we are already
adored by most of the people that making mistakes will not
reduced if we understand that by making a different step
change their mind.
we are already adored by most of the people that