"failure is not an option"?

so, i was watching this tv series called "the challenger: muay thai" the other night.  how many of us have heard this before? "this is my last shot.  failure is not an option for me"?  perhaps in some cases the word "lose" is substituted for "failure".  either way that's the cliche i've heard quite a bit from these people who compete in these over the top reality game shows or whatever you want to refer to them as being.  you end up watching these people who think that or want you to think that their journey is over if they don't succeed on what show it is that they are competing on.  it must be the "in" thing to say.  i've heard it so many times.  i laugh every time i hear it.  poor pitiful things.  seriously, have you exhausted all other means to the point that if doesn't work this time that all is lost?  you waste this chance and now you have to give up?

do you know what i think?  i think that anyone who says that has already given up.  you lose, big deal.  pick yourself up and try again.  you can't win all the time.  i think it takes a bit of arrogance to make a statement like that as well.  anyways, in this case the guy who made the statement got his butt kicked.  so, i guess losing was forced upon him as being an option.  i bet he was confused that he didn't win.  what does he do since he left himself no options?  i know, i know.  it's a figure of speech.  i get it.  blah, blah, blah.  i've also noticed that every time i've heard that statement, the person making it sounds a bit melancholy.  they know that the possibility of failure exists, and it's about to happen and they sound scared.  it's hilarious to me.

we all want to win and be the best at something.  we all want to succeed, but we can't be afraid of failure. that's how we learn.  we look at the mistakes that we make and try to adjust so we don't make the same mistakes again.  it's how we learn to persevere.  it's makes us stronger and our desire grows stronger as long as we are willing not to give up.  we pick ourselves up and keep going.  when you win all the time, you never learn to pick yourself up when you begin to lose.

so, as i'm training, i think about can and can't finish.  while i'm optimistic about finishing, i'm still concerned about not finishing.  will it be the end of the world if i don't?  i know it won't be, but i need to  give myself the best chance to finish.  if i don't, it's not the end of the world.  i'll try again.  i don't owe anything to anybody in this.  i'll try my best to be the best that i can be.  if i fail, then i will strap my running sneakers on again and keep trying until i do.