How to guarantee your dream fails.

Do you remember the Segway? Of course you do! You’ve probably got a couple of them in your garage right now. Remember when we all used to walk? With our feet? That was so ridiculous! Things sure have changed since the Segway came out.

Only they haven’t. Despite the hype, the product was a dismal failure. Despite what all the experts said, it never really blew up. And smart people really thought it was going to be huge! Take this quote from a Segway enthusiast:

“If enough people see the machine, you won’t have to convince them to architect cities around it. It’ll just happen.” (Page 146, The Dumbest Moments in Business History)

That’s crazy for a few reasons. One is that the person doesn’t say “If enough people try it or buy it.” They said, “If enough people see” it, as if the machine was so obviously superior that the mere sight would be enough to cause worldwide change.

The second reason is that the person didn’t say, “Builders will construct houses around it.” They said, people will “architect around it.” Whole cities will be impacted by this machine. Not homes. Not streets. Entire cities.

Looking back on what happened, that’s a crazy thing to say. So who said it?

A guy named Steve Jobs.

You probably have heard of him. He’s the brilliant mind behind the iPhone and the iPad and iTunes. He was one of, if not, the most innovative minds of our generation. How could he say something that far off base about the Segway?

Because no one who dares to swing the bat a lot hits 1,000%.

But everyone who refuses to play is guaranteed a 0.

Steve Jobs was wrong, a lot. And you will be too.

But the possibility of striking out is never as bad as the guarantee of going hitless because you refuse to even pick up the bat in the first place.

Dare to swing.

Dare to miss.

Dare to do it all over again.