Ekmero stood at the edge of the diving board. Ten feet above the water. Legs stiff. Heart pounding like a drum in his chest.
It wasn’t just about the jump. It never is.
This was about something bigger.
He had spent years playing it safe. Not because he lacked dreams… But because he feared the fall.
What if it went wrong? What if he failed? What if everyone saw?
So he watched life from the sidelines. Cheering others on. Smiling from the stands.
But inside… He felt something missing.
Then one day, something happened.
It was a small moment—barely a ripple.
A kid had climbed the same diving board before him. Young. Nervous. But the kid looked back, smiled, and whispered:
“You go first.”
Ekmero froze. No excuses now. No hiding behind “someday.”
In that moment, Ekmero understood:
It’s not about being fearless. It’s about doing it anyway.
Failure? Sure, it might happen. But not trying? That’s a guarantee. A guarantee that nothing will ever change.
So he took a step. Then another. And with one final breath—
He jumped.
He hit the water with a splash so big, the kid cheered from the top.
And when Ekmero came up, gasping, smiling, heart pounding— He wasn’t afraid anymore.
Not because he didn’t fail. But because he finally tried.
That’s what most people miss.
They wait for the perfect moment. The perfect skill. The perfect confidence.
But life isn’t about perfection.
It’s about the leap.
The ones who grow… The ones who become something more… They aren’t the ones who never fail. They’re the ones who show up.
Even scared. Even unsure. Even trembling.
Because in the end…
It’s not failure you should fear—
It’s the chance you never took.
