It goes to perspective. "Have I failed in my career?", I don't know, my career is not over yet. Have I had failures in my career? Sure, those set backs have led to all the successes. Did I chart my career and then follow the road map? No. Is that a failure? It is if you call that a failure. (I have thought it was in a period of life). What is the purpose of my career? Ultimately, it is to provide for my family. It is not about me being glorified for my intelligence. It is not about me always getting to do what I want to do. It is not about me.

Do I like what I do? Sure. Do people think I am intelligent? Well, they pay me like I am, and I provide them a service like I am, so by some measure I must be.

Do I make the people around me happier or sadder for the experience? Do I improve my work place or simply extract income? I think the answer is I make people happier and improve the environment (while getting income). Have I failed in my career? I do not know. I do know I am succeeding at my career.