Remove the safety net: why making a fool of yourself is a good thing

There is definitely some merit to this approach, however one shouldn't forget the wisdom in Aesop's fable, "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."

If you make enough audacious claims, and fail to live up to them, you lose credibility. People don't just doubt you, they think you're full of it.

It's like what PG says here: http://paulgraham.com/startupfunding.html

"Fear of failure is an extraordinarily powerful force. Usually it prevents people from starting things, but once you publish some definite ambition, it switches directions and starts working in your favor."