Too Big to Fail But Too Small to Try

I’ve been doing some research into career coaching, with the thought of looking for a career coach to help me take my writing and editing business to the next level. One website I saw today left me feeling uncomfortable. The site had this question posted, “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?”


Ever since reading that question, I’ve been uneasy. You see, I can’t answer it. Now, I think a lot of people I know would struggle to answer it, so I’m probably not alone in realizing I don’t have an answer, But, since I’m the introspective type, I’ve been trying to figure out why I can’t answer the question and why it makes me uncomfortable. And, I think I’ve identified two reasons for my disquiet.


First, I realized that I’m not sure what I’d attempt if I knew I’d succeed at it. That is, I haven’t allowed my dreams to get that big. The questions begs me to dream of something big and grand and exciting, and my imagination can’t break its boundaries and dream big enough to do the question justice. Since I consider myself a dreamer, I’m really disappointed to realize that I can’t think of some really big, exciting, “totally ludicrous” dream that’s a worthy answer to that question. I’ve somehow fettered my own imagination, and I never realized it until reading that question.


My second problem with that question involves fear. That question suggests that my life is limitless and full of potential, that I can accomplish anything if I want it enough. And, that says that the “prison bars” I see in my life are of my own making. That is, the things that keep me from the mundane, “realistic” successes I think I should have accomplished are barriers and obstacles that I created and imposed on myself.


In other words, that question pointed out two things. I haven’t allowed my imagination and my hopes to soar without limits. And, I haven’t attained the success I want because I haven’t allowed myself to be successful. Now that I’ve realized that, I have two new tasks for my life. First, I want to identify some dreams and aspirations that are worthy of the question. And, I want to break down the barriers and walls I’ve built that are holding me back from reaching those goals.