Sometimes you have to use your failures as stepping-stones to success. You have to maintain a fine balance between hope and despair. In the end, it's all a question of balance.
This is my own quote. When I was little, many ignore my talents and intelligence. I slept in class, answered everything correctly, and finished my homework minutes after the teacher handed it out. Yet, I was never even told that there were G.T. classes. Finally, my fourth grade teacher noticed my potential and suggested to my parents I seek a bigger challenge. I feel that there wasn't much expected of me and I owe much of my achievements to my fourth grade teacher. So become something more than what was expected of you.
Success is not rightly measured by the worldly standards of wealth, prestige and power. None of these bestow happiness unless they are rightly used. To use them rightly one must possess wisdom and love for God and man.
The things you need in life are those that will help you to fulfill your dominant purpose. Things you may want but not need may lead you aside from that purpose. It is only by making everything serve your main objective that success is attained.