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?