Impressive in its simplicity and brevity, "If" by Rudyard Kipling is a poignant reminder that triumph is often just a step away from disaster, without meaning that each of us cannot face both with awareness and dignity, learning from everything. The poem was first published in 1910 as part of the collection of short stories "Rewards and Fairies". Decades later, in 1995, "If" was voted as the favorite poem of all British literature.