Dare to Dream:

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

Imagine for a moment, a life where failure isn’t an option. A world where every idea you’ve hesitated on, every risk you’ve been afraid to take, suddenly comes with a guarantee of success. It’s a tantalizing thought, isn’t it? A reality where fear of falling short doesn’t hold you back. But what would that look like? What would you do if you knew you would not fail?

For many of us, the question sparks an immediate response: start a business, change careers, pursue a passion project, or travel the world without worrying about the "what ifs." But let’s pause for a moment and dig a little deeper. If failure were out of the equation, what would that really change in how we live our daily lives? Would it lead us to a happier, more fulfilled existence—or would it create new challenges we hadn’t anticipated?

The Illusion of Safety

In our day-to-day lives, we make choices largely based on fear and risk assessment. We’re taught from a young age to avoid mistakes, to plan cautiously, and to protect ourselves from potential setbacks. Society often tells us that failure is something to be feared, a sign of inadequacy. But the truth is, failure is a part of growth, a crucial element in shaping who we become.

So, if failure was no longer a factor, what would motivate us to improve? Would we lose the hunger that comes from learning through adversity, from picking ourselves up after a setback? Would the absence of fear actually rob us of the lessons that make success truly meaningful?

Creativity Unleashed

On the flip side, if failure was impossible, we’d likely see a massive explosion of creativity. People might finally allow themselves to pursue those wild, audacious dreams that have been sitting on the shelf, collecting dust out of fear of rejection or inadequacy. The person who always wanted to write a novel might sit down and create the next great literary work. The aspiring entrepreneur might finally take that leap, building the business they’ve sketched out a thousand times in their mind.

Fear often serves as a mental barrier that keeps us from tapping into our full potential. When we let go of that fear, we make room for curiosity, exploration, and innovation. Without the weight of “what if I fail,” we’d experiment more, take bigger risks, and step into possibilities that currently seem out of reach.

The True Cost of Fear

Many people are held hostage by fear, allowing it to dictate the boundaries of their lives. The fear of failure might be the most common form of self-sabotage. It’s that internal voice saying, “Why try if you’ll only fail?” But what happens when you flip the script? Instead of asking, “What if I fail?” the question becomes, “What if I succeed?”

In reality, success often isn’t as frightening as the idea of trying. Trying means facing the unknown, but it’s in the unknown that we uncover our greatest potential. Many of the most successful people didn’t rise to the top because they were fearless—they succeeded because they kept going despite their fear. They failed, learned, adapted, and eventually triumphed. The journey wasn’t smooth, but the bumps along the way taught them more than success ever could.

Redefining Failure

Failure is often seen as the end of the road, but in many ways, it’s just a redirection. Think of how many inventions, breakthroughs, and creative works were born out of failures. Thomas Edison, when inventing the lightbulb, famously said, “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” What if, instead of fearing failure, we welcomed it as part of the process?

In many cases, failure can teach us far more than success ever will. It’s not an indication of worthlessness or defeat but a sign that we’re pushing our boundaries, stretching beyond what we already know. When we remove the fear of failure, we also open the door to self-discovery. We stop being afraid to fail because we understand that failure is simply feedback—it’s the universe's way of saying, "Try again, but do it differently."

The Real Question: What's Stopping You?

So, what would you do if you knew you would not fail? The truth is, you don’t need a guarantee of success to start. The fear of failure is not a prophecy; it’s a habit of thinking. If we can shift our perspective on failure, it ceases to be a barrier and becomes a stepping stone.

Perhaps the real question isn’t about failure at all. It’s about what you truly want out of life. The dreams that have been quietly whispering in the back of your mind—those are the ones worth pursuing, regardless of the risk. The challenge is to take that first step without needing the reassurance of guaranteed success. After all, the journey is where the magic happens.

So, what would you do if you knew you would not fail? Maybe the better question is: what’s stopping you from starting right now? ~RS

Good evening. It's Tuesday, Oct. 8, and we're covering the Supreme Court's first case as its justices return, a tag-teamed asteroid probe, and much more.