Years ago, a friend gave me a decorative sign that says:
“What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”
It hung on my wall for years, giving me an extra dose of encouragement and audacity.
BUT…I’ve come to realize there’s an even better question:
“What would you do if you knew you COULD fail?”
What would you do if you knew that failure was actually… ok.
Survivable, at minimum. Maybe even, dare I say…helpful?
Trust fall
I went through a rock climbing phase back in my more adventurous 20s. I even had “shared custody” of a rope we named “Ned.” (No clue why.)
Every time I brought a newbie to the indoor gym to experience the thrill themselves, I gave them an unexpected piece of advice halfway up their first climb:
Let go.
Yup, I asked them to let go of the wall – to release their grip on the holds they had worked so hard to reach, and let themselves dangle in the air by the oh-so-attractive crotch-strapping harness.
Why?
Because if you don’t trust your supports, you won’t take risks.
And if you don’t take risks, you won’t get as far.
Every single time the newbie followed my advice, there was a noticeable shift when they resumed their climb.
Sure, no one likes to fail (or fall!). But with that one exercise, they knew in their bones that they could “fail”…and survive. They may not end up where they intended to go (and they may get a surprising tug on the crotch!)…but they’d make it through.
And, with this confidence in their “toolkit,” they’d ultimately accomplish more.
Bring it!
So, my question for you, my friend, is simple: What would YOU do if you knew you could fail?
Me? I’m starting a blog.
Hello, world!
