Why does failure hurt so much

Someone said to me that this world is dichotomized which means there is a sharp line of difference between anything.This could be positive or negative,true or false,good or bad,etc.On the contrary nothing is good or bad.2 extremes needs to exist.Thats the law of nature.Then why does success tastes so sweet and failure tastes so bitter ! The reason being that the mind is conditioned like that.The process of conditioning starts since we are born,or to be appropriate when we are 4 to 5 years of age.Teachers always appreciated well performing students comparing them with the dull students.Parents always compared their children to someone who is better than their children.This has been deeply rooted in the minds of children and it continues till we die until it is understood and mitigated at some point in once life.But rarely this happens.Due to this conditioning it becomes extremely difficult to handle failure.It leads to deep depression.Phrases like "Failure is stepping stones to success" cannot get rooted in the minds because there is already something else deeply rooted.

In order to mitigate any problem,the idea is to get into the root or the source of the problem.For that one needs to have awareness which means to have a constant check on the thoughts coming and going from the head.This is the first step...