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Comment by dazzawazza | Hacker News Reader

People have little faith in effort because they feel it's too easy to be labelled a failure.

For example if you spend months studying only to fail a course there is no one to blame but you. If you don't study in the first place and blame society, genes or circumstances then you are blameless. You were dealt a bad hand, luck isn't on your side... I'm sure you've spoken and heard these words.

This isn't to say that society, genes or circumstances DON'T effect outcome (in a myriad of complex overlapping ways) but they have become scape goats for many peoples lack of endeavour in life.

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For example if you spend months studying only to fail a course there is no one to blame but you.

In that situation, I think you should retake the course at the first opportunity, and keep retaking it until you pass.

There's a difference between failing and giving up.

I really like this mentality, but 1. society does not, 2. time does not, 3. time does not.

But in a happy world, I would swear by this sentiment.

Hey, you've got all the time in the world. If you never put yourself in a position where you can fail, you can't ever grow.

er... oops, 3. was meant to be "money does not"

Learn to fail privately, quickly and cheaply? ;)

Less flippantly, if you don't do something because you think you won't succeed, then there's no chance of you succeeding. If you try something, don't succeed, learn from the experience and try again, there's a chance that you may succeed.

Agreed, like someone smart probably said at one time or another: "I haven't failed, I've just found a hundred solutions that don't work".

That's what bothers me. What's wrong with trying your best and then failing? I think that's better than not trying at all. I don't see any shame in it, and I'd rather see people stretching their limits even if they're not sure of success.

Sure, you'll fail often. Occasionally you'll fail hard. Get up, dust yourself off, decide whether it's worth trying again, and move on. Even failing at something worthwhile will make you a better person than not having tried at all.

Fear of being labelled a failure is a horrible thing.

Who likes to be 2nd best? Sure, there's a sense of personal fulfillment, but most people also care about social prestige.

Also, it feels better to think that you could have been great if you had just made more of an effort than to know you can't hack it.

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