The Key to Success is Your Attitude Towards Failure

Says James Altucher in response to the question: Why are people afraid of success?:

I don’t think anyone is afraid of success.

We all want to be able to have the money that brings with it freedom (Whatever that might mean to us) and the occasional luxury. We all want to be admired for the things we achieve. I don’t think anyone is afraid of those moments.But we are afraid to fail.  So here’s the problem: The only way to succeed is to fail. I would say success = 1% talent, 20% persistence and preparation, and 70% failure. 

In order to succeed you have to be willing to fail quite a bit. And failure is horrible. It’s the opposite of success. It’s imprisonment instead of freedom, its people throwing stones and laughing at you instead of people admiring you. It’s work instead of sitting by the river with a cup of coffee at 11 am. It’s fear instead of relief. It’s sickness instead of health. It’s doubt instead of confidence. And yet that is 70% of success, dealing with failure and getting through to theother side.I’m desperately afraid to fail. I think most people are. But getting through that fear is the only way to succeed.