What Would You Attempt if You Could Not Fail?
I came across that question recently, and it really is enormously profound. Here’s why…
Our lives are busy. We rarely have time to think. This question forces us to stop and think.
Here it is again:
“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”
I encourage you to devote at least 30 minutes to running over this question in your mind. Try and find a quiet place to meditate on it. What things have you thought about doing, but dismissed over the years, perhaps because you thought you wouldn’t succeed at it?
It’s important to give honest answers based on the question as written. If you start to think about the possibility that you might fail at something, the effectiveness is lost.
Let’s look at this in a logical way…
If you WERE to do something that you wouldn’t normally do as a result of thinking about the question, what’s the WORST that could happen? What’s the BEST that could happen?
Probably, you will greatly surprise yourself at what you managed to accomplish. You’ll feel good about the fact that you did something new, and different. You stepped outside of your comfort zone.
It’s good to dream big. It’s good to challenge yourself. Most people are so far inside their comfort zone that they rarely innovate or improve. They just exist. Their business just exists.
This question encourages you to step outside your comfort zone. Yes, it’s not easy, that’s why it’s called a comfort zone! But the reality of business and life is that those who challenge themselves, even taking calculated risks, are the ones that reap the greatest rewards.
Obviously, one needs to be sensible. There are things that it would be unwise to venture into, and instinctively you’ll know what those are. But very often, friends and family will prod you towards something that you’re anxious about or approach with trepidation. These are the kinds of things that you need to take note of in light of the question.
Have you always thought about being involved in an amateur drama group? Maybe you have a secret passion for painting that’s never been unleashed. It could be that you’ve thought about learning a complex software program like Photoshop, but have always been put off in the past.
Whatever you think of, if the thought of not being able to fail inspires you, act on the inspiration and take the first step. That’s all you need to do. After that first step, the other steps will happen automatically. Decide now, and take that first step!
