Sunday, December 9, 2012

What Would You Do if You Knew You Could Not Fail?


This photo is mine. Please ask before copying
Well ........What WOULD you do if you knew you could not fail? 


Sometimes the challenges and changes we are faced with seem insurmountable. We want to do something new or change our lives in some way.

But we feel very small in the face of much larger egos, obstacles and organizations. These feelings of being unable to take on the giant, looming large, can stop us in our tracks, root us to the spot and paralyze our thinking and behavior.

I think much of  this is to do with the fear of failing and/or the ramifications of taking that risk.

The story of Chanukah really highlights the risks of failing and the courage to try anyway. What were the chances that a small group of zealous Maccabees could take on a giant Greek army and win? 

What were the chances that  a tiny amount of oil- enough to burn  in the menorah for just one day in the Temple, would burn for  eight days  until more oil could be brought?

 On paper or at the betting shop  neither of these would have had great odds of happening. But I don't think the Maccabees or the Priest in the Temple stopped too long to think about failing. So driven for their cause, so sure that they  must do what they set out to: there was no indecision, second guessing or opportunity to opt out.

As I was thinking about this, my eye was drawn to a quote I have on the wall facing where I sit to write. It says

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? 

 Of course some of the reasons that might stop us trying are legitimate.

But so much of our rationale is misdirected. We make many excuses that have little real basis for preventing us from follow through.( I am guilty of this for sure!)

I don't have enough time/ hair/ experience /height /______________( fill in the blank)

People would think I was crazy/ irresponsible/ selfish/______( fill in the blank)

There are other people who can do this much better/ faster/ more intelligently_______( fill in the blank)

Who will look after the children / the lizard / Auntie Flo/____________?( fill in the blank)




But.......

...... and here is the BUT...... 

...........If this change might bring us greater happiness, better security, more time with our families, closer to our values or more in tune with ourselves (and someone to look after the lizard or Auntie Flo) don't we owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to do due diligence? 

Don't we need to research, learn, ask, discuss, talk and map out what taking this risk really involves?

What I know for sure, is that if we just sit on our ideas and dreams then our failure is guaranteed.

And so ..... If I knew I could not fail, what would I reach for right now?

Well, I would find myself a blogging/ writing mentor, to take me to the next step. I would knock  on the ultimate blogger, Jon Morrow's door and ask him to guide me to 10,000 email subscribers not just listen to his webinars and think "How on earth can I do that?"  

I would  truly believe I could get 10,000 subscribers and grow my blog without fear or anxiety. I would build relationships with professional bloggers and take the risk of asking them for a guest blogging opportunity or interview and  a link to my site.

Yes these are all things I would do if I knew I could not fail.           ( Indeed I know it's what I must do next. I'll keep you posted on my progress.)

And my husband Jonny ...what would he do if he knew he could not fail? He would be a current affairs chat show host on prime time TV! ( any agents out there??)

Now it's your turn. Please tell me below what YOU would do, if you knew you could not fail? 

Dream big and let's help each other.

Happy Chanukah to those of you celebrating. Have a happy week.

Gilly

You might also enjoy

12 Ways To Help Children Face Their Fears


Many thanks to you all for your support of  Brainstorm. Please help spread the blog readership by sharing this post or others to your face book page. It's very simple to do. Click on the F icon at the very bottom of this post, write a comment if you like and post the link. 
Thank you! 

 Please email me at gilly@bringingbooksofcomfort.org or leave a comment on this post below. I'd love to have your feedback. 
     *******************************************************************************
Thank you for visiting Brainstorm. If you want to receive future posts by email please enter your address on the right hand side of this post,where it says "RECEIVE BLOG BY EMAIL."  Remember to look for the verification link from Feedburner when it comes into your inbox or hides in your spam folder.




9 comments:

  1. I would DANCE! Perform professionally around the world. It's been my dream for my whole life. : )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa -that sounds like a wonderful dream and goal and it must be very important to you if it has been your dream for your whole life.... I sometimes think the first step is actually writing it somewhere for others to see. One step closer to reality perhaps? What would your next step be?
      Thank you for commenting!
      I'll come and watch you dance! :-))
      GIlly

      Delete
  2. Thank you, Gilly, for giving me the courage to make my list and the challenge of following through!
    Happy Chanukah to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Judy ,
      You are welcome. Email me at gilly@bringingbooksofcomfort.org one of the things on your list so that it becomes more real for you.That could be your next step to following through. :-))
      So glad you commented!
      Happy Chanukah to you too.
      Gilly

      Delete
  3. It's not the fail factor so much as the financial support. If I could support us for for a few months without working flat out I'd be able to devote some of the free time to chasing one of those dreams (for starters). The other dilemma is which of the dreams to choose. I fell like I need three simultaneous lives in order to do it all - so meanwhile I just survive and do little else.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rachel, I agree I think money is a huge factor in stopping people from doing what they really want to do and a very legitimate one at that. In fact the course I would like to go on is $10,000 so that's going to stay in my dreams. BUT it's still worth choosing a dream or two and edging towards them in small steps. So if money was no object and there was nothing else to prevent you from following your dream, what would be first on your list?
      Gilly

      Delete
  4. Write professionally. OK I have written professionally but make it my day job. Do it well enough and be lucky enough to be one of the few that can support themselves completely on what a writer makes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Corey -Well you've certainly taken more than a few steps towards your dream by publishing Egret The Elephant! http://www.amazon.com/dp/1479170798/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=coreyjf-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1479170798&adid=0XMPMJ4MJTGV7BGCE2N6&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coreyjf.com%2Flinks%2F

      But I know what you mean! Yes i dream about that too.
      Good Luck

      Gilly

      Delete
  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete