Mike,

Interesting response, Mike.... when you get up on that soapbox, there's no stoppin ya! :)

Mike... well... I don't agree with all you say....

I think some very successful people can have a "fear of failure"....

Let me tell you how I see it....

I think a "fear of failure" could make you react in one of two ways:

1. You work like CRAZY so you DON'T fail, or
2. You don't work at all so you have a ready EXCUSE why you failed

You were talking about no. 2, which I believe is right, but I believe no. 1 can be a true consequence of "fear of failure" too....

If you HATE to fail, and you don't allow yourself any excuses, then you work like crazy so you DON'T fail....

Or at least I believe that's one way it can work....

Thanks for your speech! :)

Cheers,

Dien

P.S. I have a very good, impeccable source for what I said.... Ever watch that 1980s sitcom, "Family Ties"? Alex P. Keaton (played by Michael J. Fox) was the standard academic overachiever.... and I believe in one episode, he said he worked so hard because he had a fear of failure. Well, how can you argue against this sort of source? :)

P.P.S. Another example, from my own life.... When I was growing up, I got in trouble if I didn't bring home good grades. Well, my parents would show how disappointed (and sometimes even angry) they were with every bad grade, and how pleased they were with every good grade. I had a genuine fear of bringing home those bad grades! It made me (usually) work harder.... You might say I feared the consequence of failure.... and no excuses were allowed!