Michael Jordan could accept failure, but not for giving less than his best!
Here’s a tough pill to swallow: sometimes the reason we don’t give our best effort is not because of a lack of ability or motivation—it’s because we’re scared. Scared of what might happen if we actually gave it our all and still failed. This fear can sneak into our minds, disguised as self-protection. But in reality, that “protection” quickly morphs into self-rejection.
You may believe, “If things didn’t work out, I have a built-in excuse.” It’s easier to say, “Well, I didn’t really try my best” than to face the vulnerability of knowing you gave your all and still came up short. It’s a flimsy shield for the ego—a way to protect yourself from the sting of failure. But this kind of self-protection comes with a steep cost.
When you avoid going all-in, you’re not really protecting yourself; you’re sabotaging yourself. You’re choosing safety over growth, and in doing so, you reject your own potential. Every time you hold back, you reinforce the idea that you’re not enough, that failure is something to be feared rather than embraced.
Think about it: growth only happens when we push beyond our comfort zones. By playing it safe, by not giving your best effort, you’re closing the door to improvement. You’re letting fear dictate your actions, and in the process, rejecting the person you could become.
Let’s look at the flipside—those who push past the fear of failure. Take Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He missed more than 9,000 shots in his career and lost almost 300 games, yet he never stopped giving his best. He famously said, “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” The key to his success wasn’t avoiding failure, but embracing it as part of the journey toward greatness.
So, how do we break free from this cycle of self-rejection? It starts with recognizing the difference between failure and rejection. Failure is an event; it’s something that happens. Rejection, however, is internal—it’s when you tell yourself that you’re not enough, even before you’ve given yourself a chance to succeed. To truly grow, we must separate our sense of self-worth from the outcomes of our efforts.
Instead of fearing failure, learn to view it as feedback. Each misstep, each challenge, teaches us something valuable. When we stop protecting ourselves from failure, we create space for learning, for growth, and for real progress.
The next time you feel yourself holding back, ask yourself: Am I protecting myself, or am I rejecting myself? Don’t let fear rob you of your potential. Give your all, risk failure, and most importantly, stop rejecting the incredible possibilities that exist when you dare to go all in.
Because in the end, self-protection may keep you safe, but it’s self-rejection that will truly hold you back.
