But I tried. I would much rather fail knowing I had put forth an honest effort than never to have tried at all. Cushman never got the chance to make another attempt at his Olympic goal. In 1966, he was listed as missing in action in Vietnam and then in 1975 the U.S. Department of Defense officially declared him as presumed killed in action. Some individuals may never have known the satisfaction of doing their best in sports, the joy of excelling in class, or the wonderful feeling of completing a hard job and looking back on it knowing that they did their very best.
Few endeavors warrant more respect than the pursuit of excellence.
Each of us should have goals to which we aspire. What makes a lofty goal for one, however, might provide no challenge for another. In a conversation recently overheard in a class dominated by adult women, one woman revealed that her goal was to run a marathon. Another responded that she just wanted to be able to run around the block. Knowing perhaps that few are able to achieve difficult goals, some elect never to make the attempt at all.