The real wisdom here isn't about aiming high—it's about reframing failure as still being extraordinary. Most motivational advice stops at "try harder," but Les Brown recognizes that even our missed shots produce worthwhile outcomes, which transforms how we actually *feel* about risk-taking. When you're training for a promotion you might not get, or writing a novel you're terrified won't sell, this distinction matters enormously: you're not gambling between success and nothing. You're recognizing that the effort itself, the reach itself, lands you somewhere remarkable—new skills, unexpected connections, a version of yourself you wouldn't have become otherwise.