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Is it worse to fail at something or never attempt it in the first place?

LightSun

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Is it worse to fail at something or never attempt it in the first place?
 

Totenkindly

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Is it worse to fail at something or never attempt it in the first place?

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..... It depends on what it is.

For example, if I decide I'm going to jump over the Grand Canyon on a motorcycle, it is better to not attempt it at all than to try and fail. (The same goes for Greco-wrestling a great white shark or a giant alligator.)

However, for most things where there is not a severe penalty for failure, it is better (IMO) to make the attempt than to not try, especially if it is something that means something to you or where even failure will teach you something and make it more likely you will succeed in the future.


Outcome chart:
No attempt = certainty of both
- no failure
- no success

Attempt = Possibility of
- failure
- success
- temporary failure that leads to future success.
 

Siúil a Rúin

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It depends how important it is and if the risk is worth it. I don't think a person has to try everything. It's okay to sometimes say it isn't worth trying. Also, it is worth asking what happens if you fail - look past the attempt to how you feel in the future with either outcome. For me, bungee cord jumping failure = not worth trying.
 

Bush

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It's best to get over the latter of those things so that we can branch out and do the former of those things. That can be a huge psychological hurdle, for sure. It's easier to stick to what you know, since that, from an unhealthy perspective, validates your self-worth as a human being.

Generally.

I'm talking about learning new skills and trying (obviously not stupid) things. Stuff that, deep down, you really want to try, do, or master. That doesn't apply to some of the stuff y'all have posted, of course, such as sawing your arm off.

Also, if you're going to try to saw your arm off, you'd probably be better off failing to do it.
 

Coriolis

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Life is too short to try everything. We need to pick and choose based on some criteria. That being said, it's better not to let fear of failure dissuade you from trying something. Decide not to try because there is something out there you are more interested in trying, something likely to bring you more happiness, joy, fulfillment, success, growth . . . whatever is important to you.
 

StrawberryBoots

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Is it worse to fail at something or never attempt it in the first place?
Sometimes, I feel I can foresee failure. In times like those, I'll hesitate or change course. Despite what Winston Churchill said, I see where failure can be fatal, or at the very least, make one's life much harder than it has to be.
 

Virtual ghost

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That totally depends on how much time and energy is required to invest and figuring out what are the actual benefits of doing this.
 

Frosty

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Never attempting it in the first place is worse because you are limiting yourself on what you can do if you NEVER try. In my opinion, you owe it to yourself to be the best- to do the most- to experience the most that you can. Fear should never prevent you from trying most thingsz
 
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It depends on the situation. Risk vs reward. If it's not life threatening than in the immortal words of the Psychedelic Furs from Love My Way: You can never win or lose if you don't run the race.
 

Tellenbach

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"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

MJ is right of course. Failing is part of the learning process and has great value. One of the biggest mistakes that schools make is to discourage failure.
 

Cellmold

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Trying and potentially failing is the only tonic for allowing growth.

Although, I would prefer you to fail at activating a nuclear bomb than succeeding.
 

StrawberryBoots

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Trying and potentially failing is the only tonic for allowing growth.

Although, I would prefer you to fail at activating a nuclear bomb than succeeding.

Failure isn't the only tonic for allowing growth, there's HGH and a myriad of life experience.

I like where you're going with it though: world peace.
:campfire:
 

Cellmold

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Failure isn't the only tonic for allowing growth, there's HGH and a myriad of life experience.

I like where you're going with it though: world peace.
:campfire:

Heh always good to be got on the technicalities. Although personally I'm not sure I learned how to walk and talk first time, everything started with a babble and a fall.

Mind you, I didn't talk until I was nearly three and then came out with full sentences (insert cliche about never shutting up again since).
 
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