You have to be willing to fail
And thatâs harder than it sounds. Through some mix of nature and nurture, a lot of us are wired to believe that failure is dangerous. Not just uncomfortable â dangerous. Like it could actually kill us on some level. We imagine being laughed at. Rejected. Ridiculed. We tell ourselves that if we fail publicly, people wonât help us later. That weâll lose credibility. That weâll be marked. But thatâs not how it actually works. Hereâs the truth most people donât realize until they see it firsthand: When you put something out there, people respect you. When you take a stand, people appreciate it. Responsibility might be the most scarce resource we have right now. Everyone wants outcomes. Very few people want ownership. And when youâre willing to step forward â even imperfectly â it changes how people see you. Failing in public doesnât create shame. Avoiding responsibility does. Taking responsibility attracts others. It signals leadership. It tells people youâre serious. Most of the fear around failure isnât rational. Itâs evolutionary. Your nervous system is trying to keep you safe by keeping you small. But meaning doesnât live there. Meaning shows up when you find a problem youâre uniquely qualified to solve. When you name the enemy. When you take a swing. Slay the dragon. Save the town. Reap the reward. Not because itâs guaranteed to work â but because you were willing to stand up when most people wouldnât. Thatâs where respect actually comes from. â James