One refinement, from my perspective: even being in a position to fail is kind of an advanced move, and a rare one.

There's vast swathes of modern life that's never made concrete enough to ascertain success or failure, it's like you're living in a purgatory of non-action, non-striving. You vaguely intend numerous things, but don't commit to any of them, or take responsibility for them, and so the undertaking can't be said to have failed, nor succeeded. It lives a ghost's unlife in your mind, looming over it all, haunting away potential dedicated efforts.

Getting to the point where something is at stake would therefore be great progress. Whatever happens from there -- success, failure -- is of less import. I can work with either. It's hard to work with nothing. And yet such a siren song, to keep yourself safe! To not aspire. To not put anything on any line.

Sigh.