How I Risked It All and Failed, And What I Learned.

I've lived in the shadow of failure once before. Failures that have resulted from my pursuit to risk everything to find something.

It was for purpose.

It was for desired progress.

A glimpse of hope.

To discover if maintaining optimism through massive failure was possible.

Much of my 20's involved making impulsive decisions, traveling the world, supporting causes that I care about, and living in the present.

And even though I've experienced hard situations that have broken me down (like a 7.9 earthquake, failed businesses, and public embarrassments), it was those same situations that would later build me up.

When you find yourself in challenging times, you are often distracted from their potential, long term value. But I want to encourage you to stand your ground the next time your life's greatest challenge stands in front of you. I want you to risk it all if it is something you stand firmly committed to protecting, supporting and building.

Because if you don't do it then maybe no one else will. Because if you don't do it now it may never happen. Remember that inspiration has an expiration date. It does not last forever.

You need to burn your ships and not look back. You need to have faith in the process and believe that you will find the resources you need in front of you. You need to realize that you will never be able to connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking back. You must have a powerful trust for your intuition. Somehow, deep inside, you already know the risks you need to take to continue down your own unique path.

And when everything comes crashing down, don't give in to the temptation to feel sorry for yourself, get upset, or, worse, accept failure. Look at everything around you and tell yourself "I am exactly where I need to be". Then figure out how to dig yourself out of the deep holes you will inevitably find yourself in.

No one ever gained anything from doing nothing. Every grand ambition demands bold risk taking. Every great success is accompanied by a great failure.

You will feel uneasy. You will become restless. You will want to give up when the walls around you are collapsing. But don't.

In the nakedness of your vulnerability and the consumption of massive failure, you will discover the weaknesses of your true self. And you will then have the knowledge you need to correct them. But this will only be possible if you sustain immense suffering. It will require you to stay committed to pain until you develop a tolerance and understanding for it.

When you look back on your life, trust me that you will find unshakable inspiration and honor in your life's greatest risks. And you will find regret in the chances you didn't take. So be bold. And do what you've always wanted to do by risking it all for the purpose that makes you feel ALIVE.