Fear of failure

What would you do if you could not fail?

This is a question that I heard a while back. And for some reason, after hearing it, it really got me thinking.

For too long I had allowed the fear of failure keep me from success. When I heard this question I began thinking of all the things I wanted to do, if failure weren't an option.

And then...I started thinking, "what if I just did try all those things, even if failure was an option?"

So I did.

I started trying things I had once feared failing.

And I did fail at some, a lot even. But I also succeeded, a lot. With each success, trying something new became easier and easier. And failure hurt less.

Though I don't think failure will ever not hurt in some way, success has become so sweet that it's worth the risk.

Risks are still very scary. Thinking about possible negative outcomes can really freak me out. But then I think about the possible positive outcomes. And from my experience, the outcome usually lands somewhere in the middle.

I have gotten to point where I can take calculated risks, and to a point where I almost feel compelled to.

And, I have also gotten to the point where risks pay off. Even the ones that end badly, there is something I can learn from the heartache.

What would you do if you couldn't fail?