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Sartaj Anand

Founder, Egomonk , Melton Foundation

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Fill in the Blank - If I knew I could not fail I would ___________ ?

The question is simple and self-explanatory but I would request you all to think for some time before you answer it.

" Change the world " is a satisfactory (and abstract) answer but is that something which concerns You the most at this moment in your life. So, what would You do if You knew You could not fail ?

My Answer -

If I knew I could not fail I would fall in Love.

Topics: Actions behavior change choices life world
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  • tishe Hires 10+

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    Dec 15 2011: No Orlando, you are doing a fine job! You want to bring the White House down, etc., etc., you shouldn't worry about that. They are doing a bang up job, doing it, all by themselves! I was wondering why, this would be your, not fail mission? ( does that make sense?) :)

  • GR Smith

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    Dec 14 2011: Hey tishe thanks for the great words of encouragement. I hope others will think along the same lines. We never stop to think about the kids that turn 18 and that is the end of State care for them and they are on their own.
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    Stephanie McCreight

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    Dec 14 2011: I would go to school to become a Minister. The Bible has always fascinated me and I would like to learn the theological side of it too.
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    jacqueline Fernandez

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    Dec 14 2011: I would travel. So i could discover the unknown, see the unseen, hear the unheard, touch the untouchable.
    Basically, I'd live my life in the fullest possible way.
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    Richard Sanders

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    Dec 14 2011: Idealistically:
    If I knew I could not fail I would:
    - unite the world's governments into a global government focussed on the development and betterment of all of mankind
    - eradicate all forms of religious or idealistic extremism
    Selfishly:
    - learn to understand everything

  • Michael Balk

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    Dec 14 2011: start my own business

  • MING FERVER

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    Dec 14 2011: *solutions to homelessness
    *global elimination of human trafficking and related activities
    *making alternative energies the main source of power
    *built my own log home :)
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    Kareem Fahim

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    Dec 14 2011: Fly :D (disclaimer: 1st thing I thought about)

    Now I would do so many things if only i knew ~

    btw nice post bro
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    Eun A Jo 10+

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    TED Translator
    Dec 14 2011: sing and dance! :D
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    Siddharth Chowdhury

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    TED Translator
    Dec 14 2011: try EVERYTHING!
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    Gaston Draque

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    Dec 14 2011: ... Try something else. Definetely not worth the try.

  • Hiro Iwasa

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    Dec 14 2011: If I knew I could not fail I would create an easily obtainable, affordable panacea.
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    roberto gonzalez

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    Dec 14 2011: I would bail out the poor and the less fortunate by giving them the money the banks got and let the money "trickle up" since we know that it does not really trickle down I would try a different approach. Trickle up and let the corporations figure out what the people want and need.
    This approach would give everyone an opportunity to do something for themselves or someone else without being able to blame others for their missfortunes.

  • GR Smith

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    Dec 13 2011: This is more a I hope I do not fail.... I want to adopt an older child within the next year. Hopefully I can give an older kid a family that he or she would not have had otherwise.

    • tishe Hires 10+

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      Dec 14 2011: Oh my gosh! That is wonderful!! There are so many out there! Kudos GR!! :)
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    Manyika Sakambuki

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    Dec 13 2011: i would want to find out what existed before the first human walked the earth and also what made it exist and what made that exist and so on....

  • John Person

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    Dec 13 2011: do nothing
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    Bob Van Oosterhout 20+

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    Dec 13 2011: If I knew I could not fail, I would design and implement three systems (1) a system of education where the unique needs and potential of each child are valued and developed (2) an economic system that reinforced responsibility, sustainability and serving the common good and discouraged greed and harm to people and the environment. and (3) a bottom-up political system based on a foundation of honesty, transparency, shared responsibility, and commitment to the common good.

  • florence lesaffre

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    Dec 13 2011: If I knew I could not fail I would change of life !
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    Adi Gupte

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    Dec 13 2011: If I knew I could not fail, I would try replicating a place like Bali Green School back here in India...We direly need a place like that...

  • Dragos Raducanu

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    Dec 13 2011: If I knew I could not fail I would find something that doesn't have a guaranteed success and go for it.
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    Thomas Pisarchick 10+

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    Dec 13 2011: Jump

  • Zared Schwartz

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    Dec 13 2011: If any human being could do anything without limits, then any human being will never have the strive to do so in the first place. In other words, if I knew I could not fail I would never appreciate success and never care to do anything.
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    Dominic Carattini

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    Dec 12 2011: If I knew I could not fail I believe that I would end all discrimination and attempt to make the world an equal place, where everyone's ideas are appreciated and the advancement of society is the fundamental goal of everyone.

  • Tiago Landman

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    Dec 12 2011: Ive decided to come back and give this "filling in the blank" thing a shot even though I cant truly say I understand it.
    If I couldnt fail I'd tell all of you to simply do what it is you're afraid of doing rather than filling in blanks...

    Here's a poem I wrote a while back it might just help:

    Looking Out To Sea

    By: Tiago Landman

    As I sit on the edge of a cliff looking out to sea,
    I think of all the other places that I´d rather be;
    I imagine past sea men from here parting ways,
    In search of a new world and many other bays;

    I imagine the fortunes that lay beyond to be made,
    What great adventures, I´d miss out on, if here I stayed;
    What uncertainty I feel about stepping into the unknown,
    Especially when I´m planning to do so on my own;

    What world lies beyond those dark rugged seas?
    Will I withstand it all or will it bring me to my knees?
    How will I be treated by the new world’s strangers?
    The sea certainly has its charm but also its dangers;

    It will take a mighty strong soul to make it out there,
    On the voyage alone all the problems I´d have to bear;
    This thought once great now causes me such fright,
    Surely out there on my own I would not last the night;

    Yet this perilous thought continues to grip my mind,
    From this voyage of a life time my heart I cannot bind;
    Even though I think of the dangers and of being alone,
    I´m so tempted with going out into the dark unknown;

    Every journey has its own perils and its own thrills,
    But the idea of traveling this vast ocean gives me chills;
    Maybe somehow I´ll make it through or perhaps I won´t,
    I´ll never know for sure if taking that first step I don´t;

    Yet I don’t believe I´m a man for such a great feet,
    I would surely be torn to shreds and suffer defeat;
    So I´ll keep looking out to sea at the edge of this cliff,
    Thinking of great voyages and asking myself what if?

    What is the point of life if we dont face our fears? Especially the fear of failure!

  • Bikash Ratna Tripathy

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    Dec 12 2011: Then i'll say that i am the greatest foll in the world and i don't know the difference between success and failure..

  • Fernando Cavallo

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    Dec 12 2011: I like this. Sentence stems are a useful exercise developed by Nathaniel Branden to gain insight into one's Self and unblock our thinking. As he'd recommend, write six to 10 answers to that question, stream-of-consciousness and without editing yourself and you might be surprised at what you come up with.

    • Jonas Darin

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      Dec 13 2011: If I knew I could not fail, I would:
      Travel to the US and invite people from Wall Street businesses to a conference
      Talk to the primeminister in Sweden to ask him if he wants to have weekly meetings
      Buy a note book where I can write down a "To do list"
      Ask the local gym if I can work as a group leader
      Write application to Swedish Institute to get funding for starting up my private consultancy firm
      Organize conferences over 2012 to save the Baltic Sea
      Invite local schools, universities and green businesses to join the conferences
      Skype with my ex girlfriend and tell her I miss her.
      Talk to my ex classmates and say I would like to meet them again
      Create an awesome website for my firm

      DO what I am inspired to do in the moment!
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    Philipp Wettmann

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    TED Translator
    Dec 11 2011: Some of the most intersting, some of the best entertaining and fun things in my live happened because I failed, because I made less than optimal decitions.

    So I think I, if I could not fail,
    I would try to learn it.

  • Rasmus Kamstrup Bogetoft

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    Dec 11 2011: I would sue the tobacco industry.
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    Roberta Mura 30+

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    TED Translator
    Dec 11 2011: I would create my own atheist spiritual and educational movement and use the positive energy of people to make positive things happen.
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