Status for the Risk-Takers

Kunal Shah shares a beautiful observation from Portugal: "In the church normally only the Royalty are allowed to be buried. There is only one more category that is allowed - the explorers. Vasco da Gama, all of these guys who explored the world and took risks and took the country forward, were given the same position as the royalty."

Then he says: "When we give the highest status to risk-takers, the country appreciates it."

What status do you give your kid when they try something and fail? When they audition and don't get the part? When they run for student council and lose? When they try a new sport and discover they're terrible at it?

If failure gets disappointment and success gets celebration, you're teaching them to avoid risk. If the attempt itself - the exploration, the courage to try - gets celebrated regardless of outcome, you're building an explorer.

The message isn't "great job failing!" It's "I'm proud you were brave enough to find out."