Gary Ong | September 14th, 2021

Commitment is a difficult thing. When we commit, we are telling the world that we really want something. So if we fail, we no longer have the option of shrugging things away. We can’t say, “it’s fine. I didn’t really want it anyways,” because clearly we did.

Committing to making a startup work can be emotionally difficult. On one hand, we want it to work. There is no doubt in our mind that when it does, it will change the world. On the other hand, we know the odds are against us and that it will most likely fail. Failure is the norm, not the exception. With so much risk of failure, it can be easy to want to preserve an “out,” to protect ourselves, and not commit fully with all our hearts and minds. You’re not keeping one foot out the door, but you’re not closing the door behind you either. After all, you don’t want to get hurt.

But, even with failure as the norm, which hurts more? To fail knowing you didn’t commit, or to fail knowing you’ve given it your all? There is a peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ve done all you can. You can still fail but you’ll fail gloriously with no regrets having tried your very best. So, close the door. Set your heart to it. Don’t forget. There is still a chance you’ll soar.