Choice: Would You Or Would You Not?

Yesterday, I was contemplating a question. The question was upsetting, slightly intimidating and almost rude. If it was someone else asking me this question, I might have (wanted to) punched them in the face.

Here it is:

Why Should You Not Fail?

What? How annoying is it to be asked that? How annoying it is to begin answering that. To think a question could be intimidating. Well this one is to me right now and I do not know what that says of my mental state.

Knowledge postpones fear. So let’s go digging together.

Before I start I should share this: I am on your side. For us to dig out your true essence and reason for action, tough questions have to be answered. Self revelation have to be inspired and what’s inside you has to be brought to light.

What if I told you you’d fail? Haha, I promise I’m on your side. But walk the path with me.

What If I Told You You Would Fail?!

Better still, what if I am your future self telling you this thing you’re about to take on, you’d fail with this one. How would that color your decision today? Would you still strap your boots and launch into this definite failure or would you pull back, to find another adventure?

What if I told you, that girl you’re about to take out that you’d fail?
What if I told you that new job you’re about to quit your job for that you’d fail there? What if I told you that new marriage would fail?
What if I told you the surgery you’re about to undergo would fail? This really is an upsetting question, hang tight.

What if I told you you’d fail? HOW DOES THAT COLOR YOUR LIFE?

How does that change your opinion? How does it change your decision?

It’s important to know.

Let’s switch seats.

What if you told me with a certainty that I would fail? Well, that’s disheartening but ok. So what if I failed? Did I have the courage to take it on? Give it my best effort? Was it something I believed in? Something I did infact commit to for the right reasons, for the good of all involved in it? If yes to all these then so what if I fail? Fail to what exactly? Failed to be the best of the best of the best? Failed to complete? Failed to hang in there for eternity?

I’ll tell you this: I don’t have to succeed but I have to try and that in itself is success. Haha, see what I did there?

Knowing or being told with absolute certainty that I would fail certainly colors my decision making.

Adventures that could crack my spine, break my arm or shatter my organs, I’d not be engaging in — should I know before hand that I would fail. I think of my mountain biking accident, should I had known before hand that I would bang up my wrist so terribly that I would not be able to turn a steering wheel to drive home, I might have not attempted the most audacious trails.

With this level of insight or insider knowledge if you will, I would not waste my time on a lot of things, and on a lot of people. I would only engage opportunities I absolutely want (or have to have), just so I can explain to myself that I did in fact go for what I wanted and didn’t chicken out. I will take on the path in front of me just so I can explain to myself that I did that which was expected of me.

The definition of success then changes from attaining pinnacle to attempting pinnacle.

I would also say this though, if I were an Astronaut and was told my mission would fail, I would not board the spaceship (I think, I hope). I’d step down and allow someone else (with better odds) to do it, hopefully someone who can succeed.

Knowing one will fail tempts a lack of zeal, you get tempted to go about things with reluctance — why give your all if you would not win? This is almost the most important test of the heart. Test of essence. Testing why you do what you do. Fair enough, a lot of us do what we do with the intensity we do because of the promised potential success. That little light of hope to win inspires intense preparation and delivery. But could you maintain that same level of sacrifice even if you will fail? Why should you right? Maybe you should.

On one level, I’d do a lot of things for the fun of it. A certain level of pressure removed. I’d do a lot of things without seriousness, not so formal and intense, a bit playful with a “who cares” attitude. Like playing soccer, if I know I would not score, I would think of ways to stretch the goalie. Make them work for their victory.

Then there this other side where I would not do certain things for the heck of it. I would do them with my best strength. Like forming new relationships. Only engaging with people I can give my best to, not just for the fun of it, wasting or passing time.

I would grade and qualify the activities I’d engage in. I would dig deep into self to understand what I absolutely have to have so I can attempt them even if success is out of the question.

I was recently studying Bull Riding, and the world champion (Adriano Morales) shared this:

Winning is just a consequence of riding. If you focus on winning, you’re gonna be a loser. But if you focus on riding, you’re gonna be a winner. That’s the way it goes.

You’d do things for the experience, not the results.

If I know I will fail, well there’d be no disappointments. Hmm, wait, humans do have an undying hope. So even if you’ve been told you’d fail, there’d still be this little light inside of you hoping otherwise. That’s the whole energy fueling Vegas. You think people who go gamble are stupid? Well maybe but they are smart enough to know they will not win, yet there’s that little hope that would not quench. You know, what if they maybe win? Only for them to lose.

I’ve always said I have to win (in life). Because how many people do you know going about saying I have to lose. No, we all want to win. And I’m just like you. But at this moment, I’m understanding I (don’t) have to win.

On the contrary, what I have to. . .is I have to do my best, I have to make an effort. Result is out of my hands, but the pursuit is entirely up to me.

Let’s have a little fun. It occurred to me while writing this, what would be careers that I would absolutely run away from if I were forewarned that I would fail. And, if any, what would be careers I would still find myself doing, even if I know I would fail. Well, here goes:

Careers I Would Not Engage In:
- Boxing
- Skydive instructor
- Stunt Biker
- Surgeon
- Comedian
- Judge
- Investment Banker
- Hostage Negotiator
- Pilot
- Bank Robber

Even If I Know I Would Fail, Careers I Would Engage In:
. Presido
. Writer
. Artist (Painter |Musician haha | Actor | Film Producer)
. Scientist
. Regular 9 — 5
. Own a Formula One Racing Company
. Philanthropist
. Teacher
. Travel Guide | Experience Conveyor
. Navy Seal

How about you? If you know you will fail, what careers would you not engage in and which ones would you do regardless?

A lot of things I just would not do because the experience is not worth failing at. You know, like drunk driving. Rollercoasters would be out of the question, oh heavens. I’d still learn how to be fly a plane though, how to be a carpenter, a mechanic.

So, why shouldn’t I fail? Well, it’s not up to me what the results come to be. All to the glory of God. My mission is to progress my people forward. My obligation to self is to give my best effort each day of my existence, void of the expectancy of validity but dwell in the satisfaction of utmost delivery. My best I will, to the Glory of God, my best will be advantageous to continue on that which those before me, started before me.

Why shouldn’t I try? There’s no reason not to try for that which I am to have. That which I’m not to have, God stop me. That which was made for my benefit, I will take action.

Aspiration is one thing. Attempt is another. Result being unimportant.

This I call the plight of the President. I don’t have to fix world hunger, or the hunger in my country, I don’t have to be the best President there ever was or to be, I don’t have to accurately carry out everything I promised, BUT I have to try. I have to try to fix world hunger, I have to diligently try to fix the hunger in my country, I have to earnestly try to be the best President there ever was or to be, I have to unfailingly try to accurately carry out everything I promised.

Of what use is life if we don’t try. How liberating would we be if we disassociate result from effort?

A Chinese Elderly man shared with me a few years back, right before my match — “winning in Table Tennis is playing to learn, not playing to win. If you learn how to defend better or attack better, you will win”.

Notice a theme?

What is it worth to you? To give your best.

Who is worth it to you? To give your all despite the high probability of failing miserably?

Would you give your all despite the unpromised outcome? Can you?

Let it be said of me that I tried, so I try.

With Love,

Famous Steve.