What if you knew you couldn’t fail? What would you try?

 

Launch a new company?

Learn to dance or sing?

Learn a new language, or how to code?

Lose some weight?

Run a marathon?

 

This sort of question has become popular, especially in the startup world where company cultures are positive, brash, optimistic and empowering. Who doesn’t wish they could plow forward without risk of failure? But we do fear failure, we can’t eliminate risk, and there’s the rub.

 

So let’s reframe that question:
What would you try if you knew that you couldn’t be embarrassed?

 

Feeling embarrassed or rejected is awful. It sticks with you. Which is why we stay in our comfort zones, don’t try new things or embark on ambitious plans. We choose the status quo over any amount of possible pain– imaginary pain, at that. So choose to change in private.

 

Start by practicing being the type of person your goal requires with very small steps. Every action counts. Every small change counts. Not your goals, your actions. Scared you can’t finish a marathon? That’s no reason not to be the type of person who walks or runs a little bit every day, if that’s your goal.

 

Schedule one priority that is important to you– not just on a list, but as time blocked out on your calendar. Make it inevitable that you will tackle that one small thing. Remove the dependencies. Remove the risk. Remove the chance of embarrassment. Do it now.