Saturday, April 3, 2010

Don't Fear Failure, Fear Regret

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I was driving when I heard an interesting news broadcast on the radio.

Apparently there was a big birthday gathering happening for a bunch of folks over the age of 100… and the radio station had sent a reporter to interview some of the guests of honor.

The reporter asked the old timers what their secret was for living to such a ripe old age.

One lady said to live each day as though it was the only one given to you.

And this old guy said… and I quote: “lots of booze, late nights, and women”

I couldn’t stop laughing my ass off!

You know what I got out of that fifteen-second news clip?

1. Don’t get old.
2. Don’t get old and have regrets.

You can tell by both of their answers that these folks don’t have regrets.

Tony Robins has this little test in one of his books called the “rocking chair test”.

It’s where you imagine yourself old and gray, sitting on a porch somewhere in a rocking chair.

Knowing what you know today will you have any regrets?
Will you regret never starting that business?

… or not getting out of your comfort zone when you had the chance?

… or not taking that world cruise or living in another country?

… or not getting up in front of that audience?

… or not approaching that guy or girl you got your eye on?

… or not dumping that dead end job that’s actually holding you captive?

… or not skydiving, swimming with sharks, running with the bulls, or whatever crazy adventure rocks your boat.

See most people fear failure so much that they’re willing to deal with the bullshit circumstance they’re in.

F that!

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be in that rocking chair laughing at my past failures and glowing about my successes rather than being bitter with regret wondering what may have happened if only I had pulled the trigger and made that one decision.

You gotta live your dream!

Don’t let others tell you what your dream should be or why it’s such a bad idea. What the hell do they know?

Get out of your comfort zone and do something!

Make that decision that you know you should because failure is temporary but REGRET is forever.

Give yourself the “rocking chair test” right now. Are you feeling any regrets?