Why am I doing this?

by Sue Carter, founder of WomenQuest

To take on a challenge, and be willing to stumble even in the attempt, takes courage. But imagine the payoff of seeing the Arctic ocean frozen solid, an icy white against a deep blue sky. There is no cold that can possibly take away the joy of struggling, skiing, and finally arriving at the North Pole. Imagine being one of a very small group of people -- an even smaller number of women -- who have ever made it to the pole under their own power.

It is fairly easy to go through life staying with the crowd, living by the standards, playing the game. Most of us like to think we are different, but really find safe harbor in remaining with our group. After all, it's not comfortable to be too different, and it certainly doesn't feel good to fail.

The course of history shows us though, that progress doesn't come from playing it safe and staying at home. The sweetest victories are the hard-gained ones, not those that have come quickly and without effort.

We all have our own goals in life. They may not seem huge to others, but they can be daunting to us. Whatever they are, we must claim them, go after them, struggle to reach them, and accept that we may sometimes fail. There is no embarrassment in failing, though -- only in not trying.

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