Failure Required

My Greatest Fear

For the longest time, I’ve wondered, “What is it that I truly fear?” This question isn’t easy to answer—nor should it be. I used to believe there was nothing I feared. I’m not talking about snakes, spiders, or other common things. I mean the big fears: death, losing everything, or failing in life. But the truth is, I don’t fear death. Not because I don’t care, but because of my faith. I don’t fear losing everything because I make conscious choices to avoid that situation. I’ve thought about these fears many times, yet no answer ever felt right.

Then one day, I came across a clip that changed everything. It was David Goggins on The Joe Rogan Experience. If you’ve seen it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Goggins talks about his biggest fear—meeting God at the end of his life and realizing he lived far below his potential. He describes a version of himself that God had intended—one who was a Navy SEAL, a leader, a motivator, and someone who pushed his limits. But in this scenario, he had settled for far less, and God shows him who he was supposed to be.

What Does This Mean?

Hearing that hit me like a truck. It made me realize that my best self—the absolute highest version of me—is not the person I am today. The best version of me would outthink me, outwork me, outrun me, outplay me, and outshine me in every way. And the scariest part? He exists. He is the product of my potential, waiting to be realized.

Why waste a second of my life wondering what could have been? Why let the regret of “what if I had just done this?” haunt me? It doesn’t make sense to go through life giving anything less than my all.

And that is my greatest fear: The what if. The regret of knowing I could have done more, but didn’t. The idea that I could have reached that highest level but let distractions, excuses, or doubts stop me.

Living with Purpose

So now, I live differently. Everything I do gets 100% of my effort. Every action, no matter how small, is intentional and purposeful. If it doesn’t bring me closer to my goal, I don’t waste my time on it. Because at the end of my life, I want to meet the best version of myself and recognize him—not wonder who he was supposed to be.

But this isn’t just about personal success—it’s about impact. I want to be able to say that I gave my all not just for myself, but for those around me. If I can inspire, uplift, and help others become their best selves along the way, then I know I am moving in the right direction.

Taking Action Every Day

Knowing this, I have set certain principles to guide me:

1. No excuses. Excuses are just distractions disguised as justifications. If something matters, I find a way to do it.
2. Daily progress. I don’t measure success by perfection but by progress. If I am even 1% better today than yesterday, I am winning.
3. Embracing discomfort. Growth happens outside of comfort zones. If I’m comfortable, I’m not growing.
4. Surrounding myself with the right people. The company we keep shapes us. I choose people who push me, challenge me, and support my pursuit of becoming my best self.
5. Consistency over intensity. It’s not about short bursts of effort but the ability to show up every day, no matter what.

Final Thoughts

Fear can be a powerful motivator if we learn to use it correctly. Instead of fearing failure, I choose to fear stagnation. Instead of fearing judgment, I fear regret. Instead of fearing the unknown, I fear never reaching my potential.

So if you’re reading this and wondering if you’re living up to who you’re meant to be, don’t wait. Start now. Take action today, even if it’s a small step. Because one day, you’ll look back at your life, and the only question that will matter is: Did I become who I was supposed to be?