I remember not too long ago when I was a few days away from graduating university as an accounting major. I felt ready to take on the world. Like every other person who went through this process I was excited, ecstatic, a little bit nervous, and a little bit relaxed. More importantly, however, I was more confident than I had been when I started university. People who are close to me can testify that these four years were not a slightest indication of what I had planned.

As a student who was born and raised in another country, things were not a breeze for me in my first year and a half of university in Canada. The structure of my bachelor of commerce program required me to do three four-month co-ops during my four years of study. With no Canadian experience under my belt, it seemed impossible to get hired in this competitive, recession-hit economy. Having spent four months submitting over 100 resumes to companies big and small, I felt lost, helpless, miserable, and on the verge of giving up after being unable to secure a single interview.

Despite all of this stress, I knew I couldn't give up; I realized that I needed a new and better job hunting strategy. I decided to take a break from job hunting and began going out to network with potential employers. I started attending informational sessions, networking events, and even began cold calling. Fate eventually decided to put an end to this test as I finally secured an interview and a job with a global real estate company.  I ended up working for them over the next four months.

This was the point in my life that turned the tides for me. I secured my next two internships much quicker than the first one. Why? Because I realized "it cannot rain forever". There will be better times ahead if I keep working towards my goals. I always knew in my heart that the hardship I was going through was necessary for me to achieve my goals. If I never experienced failure, I could never learn.

 People ask God to make them stronger. Let me ask you something: how exactly do you expect that to happen? Try putting yourself through different tests in life. By making yourself go down unfamiliar and uncomfortable roads. As they say, "you don't really know how strong you are until being strong is the only option you have".

Today I am grateful that I failed several times in my life.  It's from those failures that I gained the strength needed for future success.  Failure is not a sign of disgrace. It's a sign that you're alive and trying. If you learn from your defeat, you haven't really lost.

Sharique Khan is a motivational speaker and a blogger. He blogs at Jobpostings, Canada Pakistan Professional Association, and at shariquekhan.com. He hopes to continue inspiring people through his writing and helping them succeed in their endeavours. You can reach him through email at shariquekhan@dal.ca or connect with him on LinkedIn.