A Chance to Fail

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

[font=Verdana][size=2]So I thought I pose this questions – what might you attempt to do, if you were given the “chance to fail” i.e. there would be no negative consequence to the act, other than you might not succeed in your "experiment?"

I am actually facing something like this in the near future. I've always wanted to do a solo lounge act, playing Billy Joel, Elton John-type piano and vocal songs. It is something that I am looking forward to but also something that intimidates the hell out of me. I've been performing in front of people since I was about 8 years old (about 30 years) but, for the most part, it has always been with a group. I've done a few weddings as a solo act but never a full night of entertaining.

The scary part is not being able to judge how it will go over with people that I don't know. My friends all tell me that I should do it and that I'll do well at it but they like me already. I'm a much better keyboard player than vocalist and that is where the fear comes in. I love to sing and some people like my voice. Still, do I take the chance, bear my soul, and risk falling flat on my face?

So, in this case, there really is no negative consequence, other than not being asked to perform again and some heckling, I suppose. Still, as much as I want to take the chance and see what comes of it. I am apprehensive. I keep telling myself that I just need a bit more practice but the fact is, I have about 50 songs ready and I know them all about as well as I ever will. It's just a matter of getting over the fear and taking the next step. I basically need a good shove.

And the thing that keeps popping into my mind is opportunities of the past that I never took advantage of because I didn't feel I was good enough. There are some that I still kick myself for not taking the risk. I don't want to be thinking "what if" one day over something that I have relatively nothing to lose. The one thing that I do know is that every time I have taken a chance, I have felt that I grew as a person. I also know that the people that succeed are generally the ones that have failed many times and bounced back. I know all of this and yet, I still haven't made the commitment to move forward.

Interesting thing, fear of failure is.