If You Could Not Fail

I posted this for the first time about a year and a half ago.  For some reason, the quote has been going around and around in my head, so I thought I would post it again.  I've edited a little for today, but most of it surprisingly is the same as it was.

My mom has the above quote on her fridge. It spoke volumes to her at one point, and lately I've been thinking a lot more about it.

 

What would I do if I knew I couldn't fail?

• I would write & publish.
• I would act.
• I would go back to school and get that Library Science degree.
• I would learn to dance.
• I would finally lose the weight I want to lose.
• I would speak and tell my story. 

And then I stopped to think about it again. Why was it so easy for me to come up with a list of things I would do if I knew I couldn't fail? And why does failure stop those dreams in their tracks? It's mostly a rejection issue for me.

 

I would write & publish....But what if I'm rejected at some point (as are all writers).
I would act...But that means auditions and travel and not getting 'the' role.
I would go back to school...hey, I'm doing this one.  Slowly but surely.
I would learn to dance...But what if I look ridiculous?
I would lose weight...Working on this one, too!

I would speak...but what if my story isn't worth hearing?

 

And, sadly, I realize that I have let the "but what if" statements control my dreams for too long. Maybe I need a magnet that says: What are you willing to try, even if you might fail?

There is another quote that I think sums up why I am scared to take the risk sometimes.  It goes like this:

I am ready to astound myself.  How about you?