The more I study the world’s top achievers, the more I notice a recurring theme: big achievers aren’t afraid of big challenges. They’re not afraid to put themselves on the line. They set goals that are “unrealistically” high to most observers, but they go after them anyway.
Why are top achievers more comfortable with setting big goals than everyone else? The simple answer is that they’re not afraid to fail. They know that there is a greater risk of failing on the way towards huge goals, but they don’t care. The challenge excites them. They go after it anyway and fully believe that their dreams will eventually come true as long as they never give up.
Legendary New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter sums up this attitude perfectly…
I’d take the chance to be the hero or the goat in every game I play for the rest of my life.
I always wanted to take the final shot, and of course I always wanted to be the batter in the most crucial spots in baseball. I’ve always believed that I’m going to sink the jumper or that I’m going to get the hit. You have to feel that way.
I think you should feel that way in life, too. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else believe in you? We can be our own best friends or our own worst enemies. I have always vowed to be my own best friend by exhibiting a positive attitude.
I think once you get that feeling of being successful and of winning, those feelings outweigh the possibility that you might not succeed. That’s the chance we have to take in life. I like that danger. I like the thrill of competition. I love dangling off the cliff, not knowing whether I’m going to fail or succeed. I would rather have the chance to succeed at some endeavor and eventually falter than to never even have the chance to succeed at all.
Obviously, I don’t succeed every time. But I can honestly say that I go into every game thinking I’m going to be the hero that night. I have to, or I wouldn’t enjoy it so much.
Believe in yourself and you’ll be closer to actually succeeding.
Even if, deep down, I know I’m not in total control of the outcome, I can control my actions. I’ve never hidden from a challenge. The more difficult something is, the more interested I get.
– Derek Jeter, from his book The Life You Imagine
Notice how Jeter acknowledges that he isn’t always going to make the final shot or knock in the game-winning run. He knows there’s a high risk of failure in these situations. But he wants to put himself in those situations regardless.
Though he understands the odds are stacked against him, he chooses to believe that he will come through with the game on the line. He chooses to believe that he will be the hero, and not the goat.
And what happens when he fails? He picks himself up and wants to put himself right back in the same situation the next night, believing that this time he’ll come through.
The bottom line is this: failure isn’t final. Big achievers understand this. They’re not afraid to fail—again and again—on their way to the top. In fact, the risk of failure is actually what makes life fun to them. It makes whatever they’re doing more exciting. They know that the only true failure is being scared of the challenge and quitting on their dream.
Anyone can choose to embrace this same type of attitude. All you have to do is refuse to let the fear of failure stop you.
Recognize that failure is part of chasing any worthwhile dream. And after each failure, simply dust yourself off and choose to believe that next time you’ll be the hero.
