Never be afraid to do this...

Is there anything you really want to do in your life, but find yourself paralyzed by the fear of failure?

Maybe you want to leave your comfortable job for a more challenging post with another company, but you're worried it won't work out.

Perhaps you wish to propose to your girlfriend, but you can't quash a nagging fear that she will say no.

What do such hypothetical scenarios have in common?

That in each case, we tend to think the very worst. No sooner do we set a goal than we imagine ourselves being unsuccessful.

Sure, falling short is a real possibility for every one of us. But are we really going to let the prospect of failure keep us from even trying?

Never be afraid of taking a risk, so long as you feel that:

1. Provided that you invest the time and effort, you have a real shot at succeeding.

2. If you do succeed, you're certain the benefits will outweigh the costs of taking the plunge.

Of course, if you don't plan to work your butt off to make your dreams a reality, then you should not bother.

At the same time, if the payoff seems tenuous at best (e.g., spending $100,000 on a master's degree in women's studies at Harvard will not yield any return on investment), don't waste your time.

I'm all for striving to achieve goals that are sensible. As with everything else in life, doing things haphazardly -- without putting serious thought into them -- will only end badly.

If you have carefully thought through the pros and cons and know the prospects look good, don't be afraid to pull the trigger.

It's better to give it a try and not make it to the finish line (whether because you're short on funds, didn't get the job, etc.) than it is to not try at all.

No risk, no reward.

No guts, no glory.

We only have one life to live, and while it's great to be cautious, we'll never know what we can achieve unless we roll the dice.

Nelson Mandela once said, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."

Remember, you can achieve whatever you aspire to do as long as you never waver in your persistence and determination.

Be positive. Rather than imagining yourself not succeeding, why not picture yourself meeting your goal?

Believe in yourself! If you don't take the risk now, you may regret it later on.

Franklin D. Roosevelt wasn't bluffing when he warned us that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.