#9: “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it…”

“…If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.”

– Nora Roberts

It seems to me that all life involves some form of risk. The risk of failure and the risk of rejection stop all of us from time to time.

Many people find that the regret of inaction is far more destructive to a full life than almost any failure. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

What goal, what relationship, what adventure is worth the risk for you?

Exercise:

What are your FEARs? Perhaps they’re only False Evidence Appearing Real.

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“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high…”

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.”

– Michelangelo

Image from Unsplash by AJ Yorio

I guess spending five years painting the ceiling of the Sistine chapel is an example of reaching consistently for new heights. In fact, most of Michelangelo’s works are examples of extraordinary achievements.

  • What have been your proudest moments in life?
  • Where have you dared to achieve greatness, or a higher purpose?
  • How did stretching or reaching for these seemingly out of reach goals help you grow?

Even if we fail on attempt after attempt, we can try again.

Exercise

Where in your professional or personal life are you playing too small and too safe?

What goals in your life are worth greater risk, even the risk of failure?