SSC Selection Post 2022 PYQ — Question 7

Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.
Have you ever failed at something so miserably that the thought of attempting to do it again
was the last thing you wanted to do?
If your answer is yes, then you are not a robot. Unlike robots, we human beings have feelings,
emotions and dreams. We are all meant to grow and stretch despite our circumstances and
our limitations. Flourishing and trying to make our dreams come true is great when life is
going our way. But what happens when it’s not? What happens when you fail despite all your
hard work? Do you stay down and accept the defeat or do you get up again and again until
you are satisfied? If you have a tendency to keep going, then you have what experts call grit.
Falling down or failing is one of the most agonising, embarrassing and scariest human
experiences. But, it is also one of the most educational, empowering and essential parts of
living a successful and fulfilling life. Did you know that perseverance is one of the seven
qualities that have been described as the keys to personal success and betterment in
society? The other six are: curiosity, gratitude, optimism, self-control, social intelligence and
zest. Thomas Edison is a model for grit for trying 1,000 plus times to invent the light bulb. If
you are reading this with the lights on in your room, you know well he succeeded. When
asked why he kept going despite his hundreds of failures, he merely stated that they were not
failures. They were hundreds of ways not to create a light bulb. This statement not only
revealed his grit but also his optimism for looking at the bright side.
Grit can be learnt to help you become more successful. One of the techniques that help is
mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice that helps the individual stay in the moment by bringing
awareness of his or her experience without judgment. This practice has been used to quiet
the noise of their fears and doubts. Through the simple practice of mindfulness, individuals
have the ability to stop the self-sabotaging downward spiral of hopelessness, despair and
frustration.