What Would You Do ...

A question motivational speakers often ask is “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” In other words, if success were a foregone conclusion (which it never is), what would you do that you aren’t doing now? I think a better and more realistic question would be, “What would you do if you knew there was a good chance that you would fail?”

• Would you drive if you realized that there was a car accident in the United States every minute?
• Would you open a restaurant if you knew that six out of ten fail in the first three years
• Would you get married if you considered the 50% divorce rate?

It’s not about what you would do if you knew you wouldn’t fail. It’s about what you would do in spite of the possibility of failing. In my estimation the only way to prevent failure is to never do anything, and even then, there is no guarantee. Besides, never doing anything is a terrible way to live. Where’s the fun in that?

To find success, you have to confront the possibility of failure. Since you know it’s there, plan for it. Wear your seatbelt, don’t text and drive, take a defensive driving class. Will those things prevent you from ever having an accident? Of course not, but at least they will reduce your chances of causing one.

If you dream of opening your own restaurant, don’t let the statistics stop you. You’d be better off talking to successful and not-so-successful restaurateurs and finding out from them what you should and shouldn’t do. Do your research. Find a mentor. Do what you can to improve your odds.

When it comes to marriage, I’d say that up to half of the ones that ended in divorce should have never been married in the first place! When you look at it that way, the odds improve. LOL! Still talk to a marriage counselor and maybe to several couples who’ve been happily married for a while about what works for them and what pitfalls you should try to avoid.

My point is that failure is nothing to fear. There is always a possibility of failing, so be prepared. The only way you really can’t fail is in your dreams and eventually you need to wake up.