What’s Something You Would Attempt If You Were Guaranteed Not to Fail?

Daily writing prompt
What’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail.

It’s a question that stops you for a second, isn’t it?
If you were guaranteed not to fail — what would you do?

Maybe you’d start that business you’ve been dreaming about.
Maybe you’d write the book, take the trip, switch careers, or finally say what’s been sitting in your heart for years.

But here’s the twist: the fear of failure isn’t really about failure itself. It’s about what we believe it says about us.


Why Fear of Failure Holds Us Back

We don’t hold back because we’re lazy or unmotivated — we hold back because somewhere along the way, we learned to equate failure with not being enough.

Every time we hesitate, we’re really asking:

  • What if I’m not good enough?
  • What if people judge me?
  • What if I try and still don’t make it?

That’s where self-confidence and self-esteem collide.
Confidence is the belief that you can do something.
Self-esteem is the belief that you’re still worthy even if it doesn’t work out.

When those two things grow together, you become unstoppable — not because you’re guaranteed to succeed, but because you’re no longer afraid to fail.


The Truth: You Don’t Need the Guarantee

If we were all guaranteed not to fail, everyone would take more risks. But the real growth comes from taking the risk without that guarantee — from trusting that even if it doesn’t go as planned, you’ll learn, adapt, and rise stronger.

That’s what confidence really is: the willingness to begin without knowing the outcome.

When you rely on guarantees, you remove the part of the journey that actually shapes you — the stretch, the discomfort, the lessons.
And ironically, it’s those things that make you successful in the long run.


Tips for Going After What You Want (Even Without a Guarantee)

Here are a few ways to strengthen your self-confidence and start moving toward your “if I couldn’t fail” goals — right now.


1. Redefine Failure

Failure isn’t the opposite of success — it’s part of it. Every skill, every win, every confident person you admire was built on a trail of mistakes, revisions, and setbacks.

Start viewing failure as information, not an ending. Ask yourself, “What did this teach me?” instead of, “Why did I mess up?”


2. Practice Self-Talk That Builds You

We talk to ourselves all day long — and that inner dialogue shapes everything. Replace “I can’t” or “I’m not ready” with “I’m learning” and “I’m trying.”

You don’t need to believe in yourself 100% to start. You just need to stop talking yourself out of it.


3. Start Small and Build Trust

Confidence isn’t built overnight — it’s built through repetition.
Set small, achievable goals and keep promises to yourself.
Every time you follow through — even on something simple — you reinforce that you’re capable.

That small success becomes the foundation for bigger ones.


4. Surround Yourself With Support

Confidence grows faster in community.
Surround yourself with people who encourage growth instead of comparison.
Whether it’s friends, coworkers, or online communities that share your goals, being around support reminds you that you’re not alone in the climb.


5. Visualize the Version of You Who Tries Anyway

Close your eyes and picture yourself taking the leap. What does that version of you look like? How do they carry themselves? How do they talk to themselves when things get tough?

Then ask: What’s one small thing I can do today to move closer to that version of me?


The Real Secret: Confidence Comes From Action

Confidence doesn’t come before you start — it grows because you started.
Every time you take a step toward something uncertain, you prove to yourself that fear doesn’t control you.

So ask yourself again:
If you were guaranteed not to fail, what would you do?

Then remind yourself — you don’t need the guarantee.
You just need the courage to begin.

Because success doesn’t start with certainty.
It starts with belief.

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