Have you ever let fear of failure or fear of rejection prevent you from doing something you knew was the right thing to do in that moment?

If your answer is no, you are either headed for canonization – or not being entirely honest.

Michael Jordan is widely regarded as one of the most talented basketball players to ever play the game. Yet he was cut from his high school basketball team as a sophomore. He missed 26 potential game-winning shots when his team depended on him.

Many people would hesitate to take the first shot. Most would look for someone else after the tenth miss.

What made Jordan one of the best ever was not just his talent – though it was considerable. It was his unwavering belief in himself and his willingness to step into the moment again and again, fully exposed to failure.

Anyone who has competed in sports understands this truth: if you are focused on missing the shot, striking out, or throwing the interception, your chances of success drop dramatically. Fear tightens you. Belief frees you.

What Jordan did not list in that quote were the number of game-winning shots he made. There were plenty.

You cannot achieve meaningful success as a leader without stepping outside your comfort zone. And you rarely step outside your comfort zone without believing you can succeed.

If you are focused on avoiding failure rather than pursuing success, you will never discover what you are truly capable of.

At the end of life, most people regret the chances they did not take more than the mistakes they made.

Do not be one of them.

Focus on what you want to achieve – not what you are trying to avoid.