“The saddest summary of life contains three descriptions: could have, might have and should have.” – Louis E. Boone
We are instilled very early in our lives that failure is one of the greatest challenges in life. Failure is something we tend to avoid at all costs. And, at times, the fear of failure hinders us from taking advantage of the opportunities bestowed upon us. Those who forgo their hopes and dreams to avoid the sting of failure are usually left with three statements that potentially summarize their existence: could have, might have and should have.
Might have is a representation of a person that has in their mind the potential to do something, only to back out. The Might Haves see the world with the knowledge that there are opportunities to achieve something if they decide to take that first step, but they never take that step.
Could have symbolizes the person who sees the amount of work it takes to create an opportunity to achieve his or her goals, but refuses to put in the effort. They are left wondering whether or not it could’ve been the moment they always dreamt of if they had only worked hard enough to make that possibility a reality.
Out of the three, should have is probably the most disappointing. Unlike the Could Haves, the Should Haves witnessed the opportunity they prepared for pass them by because of their own undoing. The Should Haves realize in the end that the opportunity they let slip away would’ve changed their lives in a positive manner.
To live life is to live it without regret and fear of failure. In truth, failure isn’t the act of not succeeding in what you set out to achieve, but the act of not trying at all. You don’t want to look back on your life and see yourself as a Might Have, Could Have, and/or a Should Have.
