Have No Fear of Failure 
by Eimy Sarduy, Junior, iPreparatory Academy

          If you never try, you can never fail, right? Wrong. If you don’t try, you can never succeed. The only way to truly achieve a goal is through the “pursuit of excellence,” striving for the best in humanity.  People who become the masters of their fate accomplish their goals without shrinking from challenges, but for others the obvious obstacle stands in the way: Fear of failure. 
Fear affects people of all ages and cultures. However, that fear shouldn’t dissuade a person from pursuing goals. Having the courage to strive to achieve change, is more productive than lamenting on what should be done. Remember that change will only begin to happen when one person decides to stand up for what he or she believes. 
         
         American Transcendentalist, Henry David Thoreau was not discouraged by obstacles. He became the American beacon of courage.   In English class, when my class studied these writers,  we learned that it is well known that he refused to pay his taxes because he did not believe in supporting the continued practice of slavery and the war with Mexico. So, instead, he spent a night in jail and wrote about it in a essay, “Civil Disobedience.” In his now monumental work, he says that the “only place for a just man is also a prison.” In other words, he did not fear going to jail; he went to jail because he felt that if more people stood for moral principles, progress and a better/ improved government would be the result.  

         

 Also, well documented and part of our studies in why English class is one of the men who followed Thoreau’s example.  An exemplary person who personifies the pursuit of excellence is someone celebrated on the third Monday of every January: Martin Luther King Jr; he was a Civil Rights leader who advocated for an equitable and violent society. King, inspired by Thoreau, was jailed for his participation in the Montgomery Bus protest.  That day, he wrote a famous missive, “ A Letter From Birmingham Jail.” In this, he discusses the idea of action vs. inaction when trying to achieve justice for African Americans. King explains that since the government kept them complacent by continuing to tell them to “wait for the right time,” which never came, they were forced into taking “nonviolent direct actions.” King’s perseverance shows that he did not fear potential challenges nor that he was dissuaded by the possibility of failing because he thought the same thing we all should: If I don’t inspire change, who will? 

 Many people dream of going to Ivy League schools and having successful careers, but many students do not apply because they fear rejection. But, although those universities can be very selective, some people get in. Who’s to say you won’t? And even if all you receive is a rejection letter, isn’t it better to know that you at least tried? It’s like Ms. Hernandez always says, “Don’t reject yourself, let [the colleges] reject you.”

Istock- Getty Images, Man jumps over silhouette hand hold flag best failure, Committed to success.

          Believe it or not, there are worse things than failure. Regret is one of the most common things that a lot of adults are forced to live with, which is likely what triggers their mid-life crisis. However, all that can be avoided by pursuing and dedicating yourself to the pursuit of your dreams. And, yes, it’s terrifying to know that you could fail, and it certainly isn’t easy, but it is worth it. Remember, by fearing failure, you never open yourself up to the possibility of success so take a risk and have no fear of failure.