It is of course good to seek perfection. Perfection is a goal to be set and a journey to be cherished. Nothing in this world is perfect. If that were the case there would be no human endeavor towards betterment. All fears of failure arise from this uncertainty about perfection. "What if I can't produce the best?" Is the question that plagues a doubtful mind. If your idea of perfection prevents you from doing what you are supposed to do, then this negative passion is more harmful than good and could ultimately lead to frustration and despair.

Harness Fear and Thrive. Fear is not a negative emotion. Fear prevents you from performing irrational acts. Fear tells you when to retrace your steps when in danger. It is fear that instigates you into action to protect yourself when the need arises. Isn't it a fear factor that makes you turn around and flee if you see a wild animal?

So the secret is to harness this fear to your advantage. Do not let the fear of failure prevent you from attempting what you wish to accomplish in life. It is always better to have tried and lost than not to have tried at all. Each failure tells you how a thing is not to be done. When Edison failed a thousand times in his experiments to find the ideal lighting filament, his response was "I know now that these thousand materials won't work." Finally he succeeded in finding the Tungsten element that lights many homes today. Had he given up in the face of failure he would never have realized his dream.

Confidence is achieved gradually by trying again and again. Each failure is a stepping-stone. It is not important as to how many times you fall but it is important to get up every time you do. Each falls builds strength. Even a child staggers and falls when he is learning to walk. But he mindlessly gets up and begins all over again till he stumbles again and finally he walks. Isn't this something to learn from a little child? He is unmindful and unperturbed about failure. His only aim is to get up and try again. This is really something worth emulating.

So go ahead and harness your fear and move ahead. Stagnation will cause death and decay. Movement is life. Be confident in your strengths and face the world and all fears shall perish. Be confident in the fact that the Lord always supports your endeavors, and you will never have any thing to fear. Always ask yourself "what is the worst that could happen?"

When a soldier asks himself this question, the answer he gets is "death". It is this acceptance of the worst possible that spurs him on to action and valor. When he has to die then why not a heroic death.