Fear more the regret of tomorrow—of not taking the risks that may lead to failure—than the fear of failing today.
One of my twins, Luke, loves to play basketball. Last year, he joined a team where many teammates were more experienced and skilled. Yet, his love for the game drove him to try his hardest.
As time passed, Luke improved significantly in practice. However, during actual games, he hesitated to shoot, even when he was in perfect position, because of his fear of failure and concern over others’ opinions of him.
In contrast, there were three of his teammates consistently took shots in games, ultimately scoring the most in every game.
But here is the interesting fact—their success rate wasn’t extraordinary. Often, they might make only 4 out of 10 shots, but their willingness to take more shots led them to score higher than others.
Simple math, isn’t it?
The same principle applies to your art.
Recently, a member expressed her desire to paint a portrait of her grandmother but doubted her skills despite being a talented painter.
I encouraged her to try regardless and offered my support. I’m still waiting for her response, hoping she’ll find the courage to embrace potential mistakes and accept the possibility of failing 6 out of 10 times. I believe this persistence will lead her to create a beautiful portrait of her grandmother, and what a precious family heirloom that would be!
Today, Luke confidently takes more shots in basketball games and has become one of the starting five.
I urge you to embrace the possibility of mistakes and to give yourself the chance to fail. Often, the most significant lessons and long-lasting effects stem from our failures.
Failure is our friend, not our enemy.
‘What if I continue to fail for the rest of my life?’
You won’t—if you learn from your failures.
Treat failure as a friend, and it will reciprocate, helping you in your journey.
Treat failure as an enemy, and it will try to defeat you.
Here’s a small piece of actionable advice: Start by identifying a small project or aspect of your work that intimidates you.
Set a goal to tackle it head-on, focusing more on the learning process than on the outcome. Remember, every attempt is a step forward, no matter the immediate result.
Let’s engage: What’s one risk you’ve been hesitant to take in your art or life? How could embracing failure lead you closer to your goals? Share your thoughts and let’s support each other in turning our fears into stepping stones.
Remember this: “Embrace the shot, even when you’re afraid of missing. The misses teach us more than the hits ever will.”
Fear more the regret of not embracing risks that could lead to failure tomorrow, rather than fearing failure itself today.
Life is short, precious and beautiful. Let’s commit as many mistakes as possible and live life to its fullest!
Your artist friend,
Ying
