No one wants to fail. So most of us don't even try. Sad. We don't

There is a solemn and awakening truth in the words of Robin S. Sharma, who declared, “No one wants to fail. So most of us don’t even try. Sad. We don’t even take that first step to improve our health or to deepen our working relationships or to realize a dream.” In these words lies the tragedy of potential unrealized — the silent defeat of countless souls who surrender before the battle even begins. Sharma speaks not merely of failure, but of fear, that most cunning of enemies, which convinces the heart that safety is nobler than struggle. His words pierce through the comfortable illusions of modern life and remind us that to live without effort is a slower, quieter form of death.

The origin of this wisdom lies in the timeless observation that humanity’s greatest obstacle is not weakness, but hesitation. We dream, yet we doubt. We envision greatness, yet remain shackled by the ghost of failure before we’ve even drawn the sword. Sharma, known for his teachings on leadership and purpose, reveals that the first step — that small, trembling act of beginning — is where most dreams perish. The saddest fate, he implies, is not to fall in battle, but to never take the field. The world does not mourn those who tried and fell; it mourns those who hid their gifts and called it prudence.

This truth is ancient. The sages of old taught that the path of courage begins with motion — with the willingness to act despite uncertainty. The philosopher Seneca once wrote, “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” In every age, the same pattern unfolds: men and women of great promise remain idle, haunted by the thought of imperfection. They prefer the false peace of stagnation to the noble turmoil of progress. Yet it is only through motion — flawed, uncertain, yet faithful — that destiny is shaped.

Consider the story of Thomas Edison, who failed thousands of times before giving light to the world. He did not avoid failure — he befriended it. Each misstep became his teacher, each setback a rung on the ladder of discovery. When asked how he endured so many failures, he replied, “I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.” Edison’s genius was not his intellect, but his refusal to let fear silence his hands. He took the first step — and then the next, and the next — until illumination itself bowed before his perseverance.

The sadness that Sharma speaks of is not the sadness of failure, but of inaction — the hollow grief of what could have been. When we deny ourselves the chance to grow, to love, to strive, we choose a smaller life than the one intended for us. We tell ourselves the lie that safety equals peace, when in truth, it equals regret. The soul, like a muscle, withers without challenge. And so, in protecting ourselves from pain, we also shield ourselves from joy, from growth, from glory.

To improve one’s health, to deepen one’s relationships, to realize a dream — these are not tasks of comfort, but of courage. The first step may seem small, but it is sacred. It is the moment when the invisible becomes visible, when possibility takes its first breath. The ancients compared this act to lighting a torch in the dark — the flame may flicker, but it guides the way. Every great journey, from the pilgrim’s path to the conqueror’s march, begins with that same trembling light.

The lesson, then, is both simple and profound: dare to begin. Do not wait for perfect conditions, for they will never come. Do not fear the judgment of others, for they too are afraid. Take the first step — toward your health, toward your purpose, toward your dream. Fail if you must, but fail forward. For the gods of destiny favor the doer over the dreamer, the one who acts over the one who excuses.

And so, my children, let Sharma’s words ring like a bell in your heart: do not let the fear of failure become the failure itself. The first step is the most sacred act of all — the moment when faith triumphs over fear. Take it, and the path will rise to meet you. For in the end, it is not those who stumble who are lost, but those who never move at all.