# Failure: the path to success | Kaltoum Lajfari | TEDxUIR Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TtwHdNpnxg Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/5TtwHdNpnxg Generated: 2026-03-02T16:33:38.309+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The speaker recounts her journey from aspiring to study Finance to ultimately pursuing a PhD in a completely different field, emphasizing that failure (failing her first Master's exam) and embracing negative emotions are normal parts of growth, concluding that one must be brave and ready to suffer to achieve what they truly want. **Key Points:** - The speaker initially dreamed of pursuing a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Economics and Finance, respectively, starting in 2004. - Despite graduating from her Bachelor's in 2005 from a modest background, she failed her first Master's exam in Finance horribly. - After failing, she worked for a year in a French call center in Rabat, Morocco, earning a very low salary (3,000 Dirham maximum). - She returned to academia in 2009/2010 to pursue a PhD in Customs Administration, which she found very hard. - She successfully defended her PhD in 2016 while simultaneously working as an inspector at the Customs Administration headquarters. - The speaker asserts that failure is normal and natural, and that one must be the 'toughest soldier' and accept suffering to achieve personal desires, contrasting this with being a 'princess'. - She concludes by stating that growth hurts, and if her students do not sit with negative emotions, they will be waiting for her (the speaker) on the other side. ![Screenshot at 0:04: The speaker, Kaltoum Lajfari, stands on the TEDxUIR stage holding a microphone, dressed in all black, beginning her talk by establishing the context of her initial academic aspirations in Finance.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/5TtwHdNpnxg/00-00-04.jpg) **Context:** This TEDxUIR talk is a personal story delivered by Kaltoum Lajfari, focusing on themes of perseverance, overcoming failure, and self-belief in the pursuit of one's destiny. The speaker contrasts her initial, seemingly safe career path in finance with the difficult but ultimately more fulfilling journey through a PhD and a career shift, highlighting the necessity of embracing difficult emotions like failure and suffering for genuine growth. ## Detailed Analysis Kaltoum Lajfari begins her narrative by establishing her initial educational goal: a Bachelor's degree in Economics (2004) followed by a Master's degree in Finance. She recounts that coming from a very modest background, this degree seemed to promise a better future. However, she failed her first Master's exam badly, which led her to work for a year (2005-2006) in a French call center in Rabat, earning a maximum salary of 3,000 Dirham, feeling disappointed and angry with herself. In 2009/2010, she decided to pursue a PhD, which was also very hard. Surprisingly, she succeeded in getting into the PhD program at Mohammed V University while working full-time as an inspector at the Customs Administration headquarters in Rabat, commuting daily between Rabat and Casablanca. She defended her PhD in 2016. The speaker uses her personal experience to deliver three key lessons. First, failure is normal and natural; one should not feel shame when they fall down while learning to walk, as babies do. Second, one must be the toughest soldier, not a princess, in life, meaning they must be prepared to suffer and work hard to achieve what they truly want. Third, she addresses her students, stating that if they do not sit with and recognize their bad emotions, their better self will be waiting for them on the other side, implying that confronting negative feelings is crucial for advancement. ### Early Aspirations and Setback - Dreamed of Economics/Finance degrees starting 2004 - Failed first Master's exam in Finance - Worked in a call center in Rabat for a year earning 3,000 Dirham max. ### Career Pivot and Perseverance - Started PhD in 2009/2010 in Customs Administration while working full-time as a Customs Inspector (commuting Rabat to Casablanca) - Successfully defended PhD in 2016. ### Lessons Learned - Failure is normal and natural, like babies falling while learning to walk - One must be the 'toughest soldier' and embrace suffering, not act like a princess, to achieve goals. ### Concluding Advice - If you do not sit with and recognize your negative emotions, your better self will be waiting for you on the other side. ![Screenshot at 0:00: Establishing shot of the TEDxUIR stage before the speaker begins her presentation.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/5TtwHdNpnxg/00-00-00.jpg) ![Screenshot at 0:24: Close-up of the speaker, Kaltoum Lajfari, emphasizing her presence and attire \(black cropped jacket and trousers\) as she begins her story.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/5TtwHdNpnxg/00-00-24.jpg) ![Screenshot at 1:04: The speaker reflects on her failure, conveying the emotion of disappointment after failing her first Master's exam.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/5TtwHdNpnxg/00-01-04.jpg) ![Screenshot at 2:30: The speaker discusses the difficulty of her PhD studies while working full-time, illustrating the challenge she overcame.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/5TtwHdNpnxg/00-02-30.jpg) ![Screenshot at 5:53: The speaker smiles while delivering a key takeaway, emphasizing that failure is normal and natural.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/5TtwHdNpnxg/00-05-53.jpg)