Don't be afraid to risk failure.

Fall 1986.?I was a college sophomore and still hesitant to speak to girls.?Terrified, actually. I had no opening lines and was no good at small talk, let alone trying to form a good conversation.?

During that semester I was in a small class with about 15 other people and there was an adorable young lady who sat a few chairs away from me.?We'd smile and say hello to each other before or after class; jeez was I smitten.

In my mind for weeks, I worked through a bunch of crazy scenarios of what could happen if I asked her for a date. What if she says no? What if she says yes? Can I handle rejection? Do I know what to do if she accepts? What would I plan for the date?

All of this was happening about a year after Back to the Future was in the theater and I imagined a scene where the awkward Crispin Glover character fumbled his attempt at asking Lea Thompson's character for a date.?"I'm George. George McFly, and I'm your density...I mean, destiny."?Eventually, I worked-up the nerve to ask her for a date on the last day of class and just before finals. I was stunned when she said yes.

Well, we went on a date and it was a total disaster.?The story is just too long and unbelievable to tell here.?But I took a chance, bet on myself, risked failure and I survived.

I'm a marketer and there were many times I was afraid earlier in my career to push an idea forward. I'm a husband and father and there many times I told myself not to take chances because I'd put my family at risk.

The lesson I learned is that you must face your fears, take some risks, step outside of your normal and what’s comfortable and push for what you want in life and career.??