“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream... It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.” -- Benjamin Elijah Mays

Failure is a label stained with stigma. We are imbued with such a fear of failure that avoiding it becomes a quest. Risk aversion limits us from even attempting any endeavor in which success is less than virtually guaranteed.

As a result, you shun any objective, regardless of how desirable it may be, where there is a measurable chance it will flop. This causes you to miss out on so much. As unappealing as failure may be, when you never make any attempt to achieve a goal, you ensure there is zero chance of success.

Another reason for missed dreams is not formulating any goals at all. People without goals never run the risk of failure. If you don’t want anything, how can you be disappointed?

You have unlimited potential. Dreams enable you to connect, visualize, and mentally experience your inner desires. These desires, when cultivated, become the motivation that propels you into action.

Imagine you have a high-performance sports car worth one million dollars. Your car is capable of incredible performance and handling. Your beautiful car is safely stored in the garage. Every day you spend some time admiring your car.

As much as you love the car, you refuse to drive it. The fear of getting into an accident, or even a fender bender, keeps the car parked in the garage. Not only will you never experience the joy of driving your car, it will eventually become inoperable due to lack of use.

Now let’s consider a different scenario. A wealthy friend offers to give you a sports car he no longer wants. There are no strings attached. It won’t cost you a dime. Yet you turn down the car. You don’t want the responsibility of owning it. Additionally, you don’t want to be tempted to use it. Your fears would prevent you from enjoying your dream car.

You probably consider these scenarios as ridiculous. However, this is exactly how people treat their dreams, which are like the sports car. As a result, they never experience all of their own vast potential.

How different our world would be if people never dreamed. What if Thomas Edison had not attempted the invention of the light bulb? It was certainly a long shot. After all, no one else ever succeeded in creating a working bulb. It took Edison 10,000 tries to invent a functional light. Who would have criticized him if he abandoned his quest after 9,000 attempts?

The Wright Brothers certainly faced long odds in their quest to construct a heavier than air flying craft. Throughout history, countless numbers of people had failed before them. What chance did they have in succeeding?

Our great country would not exist today if the founding fathers chose to avoid any chance of failure rather than risk dreaming of the birth of a free nation. Who in their right mind could think there was any possibility of a band of untrained farmers defeating the most powerful army in the world?

Don’t hesitate to dream. Formulate goals and pursue them. Regardless of how far you get, it will be further than had you never started. It’s such a waste to have no aspirations. Shoot for the stars. If you fall short, you will reach the moon.

“Dare to Live Without Limits” the book is now available. Visit www.BryanGolden.com or your bookstore. Bryan is a management consultant, motivational speaker, author, and adjunct professor. E-mail him at bryan@columnist.com