
Mediocre Success Is Worse Than Outright Failure


When we’re focused on first-order outcomes, we look for the instant success, the instant best seller, the instant fill-in-the-blank. We search for shortcuts, life hacks, and advice from self-proclaimed gurus. We “applaud the wrong things: the showy, dramatic record-setting sprint,” Chris Hadfield writes, “rather than the years of dogged preparation
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Don’t fear failure. Fear average.
If you are fortunate or unfortunate enough to wonder:
“What should I spend my time working on?”
Then perhaps a better question is:
“Where am I most afraid to fail?”
When we’re avoiding some path because failure would destroy us, that’s often the path we need to go down.
Because if we aren’t afraid of failing, do we really care at all?
“What should I spend my time working on?”
Then perhaps a better question is:
“Where am I most afraid to fail?”
When we’re avoiding some path because failure would destroy us, that’s often the path we need to go down.
Because if we aren’t afraid of failing, do we really care at all?