It's been a long time since I considered myself someone who doesn't try out of fear of failure. I mean, there are things I won't do to avoid embarrassment (like dancing), but I feel like I get in there and try on things that really matter to me.
But a few days ago, I started thinking of things that I would do if I couldn't fail. If I was guaranteed success, what would I do? Well, my list wasn't very long and wasn't incredibly serious, but I thought I'd share what I came up with.
If I couldn't fail, I would...
-Try out for the men's Duke basketball team
I love basketball. I played all through middle and high school and I hate that I am too out of shape to play now.
Ever since I was a little girl, my daddy and I would watch Duke basketball together. Then I would day dream pretty vividly that I tried out for the team, made it, and dated my favorite player too. But since I have my awesome hubby, I think I'll skip the dating part, but if I would not fail, I would absolutely go play for Coach K :)
- Enter one of those giant food competitions
Ok, so I know this is why I'm too out of shape to play basketball, but I would love to enter a competition with a 50 oz. steak or a pizza bigger than me. I'm pretty jealous of the guy from Man vs. Food, so if I couldn't fail, why not eat all of the steak?! :p
- Start a legitimate diet
After I won the food competition, I would start a legit diet and since I wouldn't fail, I would lose the weight that I want so badly to lose. Good plan, right?
- Enter Cupcake Wars
Since we are already indulging in this perfect little world, and since I am sticking to my imaginary diet so well, I would enter Cupcake Wars and be the skinniest little baker. I'd win. The end :p
-Take dance lessons
I hate dancing. I am seriously worse out it than anyone I've ever met and I feel awful about myself every time I dance. But if I could actually get better and I wouldn't fail, I would take dance lessons and surprise everyone next time there's an opportunity to dance.
I think most of these are just silly and fun, but there are some things I can learn from this list.
I think that I should not be so afraid of dancing. Dancing is meant to be fun and I should not loath myself every time I dance. I don't need to be guaranteed success to try to improve, or maybe even one day take lessons.
We get so bent out of shape when we fail, but the thing is, life offers no promises of success. When we try intimidating things, we have to know there is a chance we will fail. But that's ok. Some of our best lessons are learned when we fail. No one wants to fail, but it happens. And when we don't fail- those brilliant times of success- how awesome is that?!
I also think that maybe we all have things that we are afraid to do. You may surprise yourself if you make your own list. Maybe you should try it. What would you do if you knew you wouldn't fail?
Fun post. I would run a marathon, audition for a Broadway show, and apply to work at the Disney archives.
ReplyDeleteThose are awesome things to do! You should at least do one of those! Try it!
Deletethese are awesome :) I would start an online handlettering business. I have wanted to start it but I'm too scared!
ReplyDeleteHow awesome! Don't be afraid! Go for it!
DeleteLove your list! I would love to open a cafe in our community benefiting needy communities abroad!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cool idea! You should go for it. That is a very attainable goal :)
DeleteOh my goodness, I know exactly what I'd do. I'd become a famous painter and live in Tuscany with my own vineyard.
ReplyDeleteThink Eric would go for that? ;)
DeleteHey Kristin! Did you re-design your blog? I love it!!! I love the theme of this post. I think that if I knew I wouldn't fail...I would try out for the Voice. lol!!
ReplyDeleteI did :) Thank you!
DeleteNice one! I would love to do something like that too!
This is fun to think about! So out of my personality, but I would sing and perform. LOL! And I would write a children's book. I love children's books and loved reading to my son when he was little and always wanted to write one.
ReplyDeleteYou should try to write it. You could self-publish. No harm in trying!
DeleteSuch a great question to ask! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Deletefun and thought provoking post. I honestly don't know what I would REALLY want to do... I feel like I take a lot of risks...
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome!
DeleteThis is a really fun post! A legitimate diet would be on my list too. I am still thinking about this. - Trish
ReplyDeleteIt can actually be a difficult question sometimes.
DeleteYES, GIRL! I love this! And I used to have SUCH anxiety about dancing, oh my goodness, but now that I've had to do it on stage a bunch of times (and trust me, I am not good! haha) I have lightened up a bit on myself, which has helped.
ReplyDeleteI would blog more! Maybe that sounds silly but I tend to doubt myself with my writing, so I end up posting pretty sporadically, only when I feel like I'll burst if I don't post something! But I'm trying to be better about it - thank you for the reminder! :)
That's not silly at all, but you should definitely write! Everyone has a voice and a unique way of describing things. Read Anne Lamotte if you haven't already. Bird By Bird is good. Some bad language (warning for if that bothers you), but a very good book :)
DeleteI love your list of what you'd do if you could not fail. For me, it's probably all that plus open my own bakery/sandwich shop that would also sell local handmade goodies. Maybe i'd be a VS angel (since we can't fail here). I'd also work for the Wake A Wish Foundation and make my blog go viral!
ReplyDeleteThat'd be so awesome! And the VS angel cracked me up. Never thought of that one :p
DeleteInteresting topic and choices. If only we pursued our dreams with that mentality, I'm sure the percentage our success would greatly increase. :)
ReplyDeleteSo true! We should!
DeleteI laughed out loud about the Duke one because my husband is a HUGE Duke fan! I'm pretty sure that would be my husband's #1 too! Coach K is the man! I think I'd probably write a book. It's a big dream of mine but it's scary to say out loud because it's such a big thing! Love this idea :)
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious! You're husband must be an awesome man! haha.
DeleteYou should write that book, friend! There is absolutely no reason not to :)
This post is really fun and got me thinking, but I really couldn't think of anything exciting except totally unrealistic stuff like be a rock star!!
ReplyDeleteHaha. I understand!
DeleteLove these! I would take up singing. I'm awful right now haha but it would be so fun.
ReplyDeleteI love singing! If you can find lessons, do it! You might really love it!
DeleteI love your list!! If I couldn't fail, I'd do a PhD, we'd live abroad as expats, and we'd have a ton of kiddos :)
ReplyDeleteThose are all awesome!
DeleteHonestly, Entering Cupcake Wars would definitely be on my list! I would also matravel every country (failing here would mean that I would travel myself until I was completely poor, etc. haha!) And I would become a mom later in life if I knew I could not fail.
ReplyDeleteThis post is so fun! I love your list, especially being on Cupcake Wars! I so want to do a cupcake competition.
ReplyDeleteI think being on a show like cupcake wars would be so fun!
ReplyDeleteI'd audition for Broadway and write that novel ;)
ReplyDelete