Last night as I was closing my laptop for the day I noticed that I had a lump in my throat and a clenched feeling in my chest. I was lightly entertaining a pas

Last night as I was closing my laptop for the day I noticed that I had a lump in my throat and a clenched feeling in my chest. I was lightly entertaining a passing thought about shutting down my startup. I was thinking: "I love my startup. I put so much work and heart into it. But maybe I should shut it down." You see, I had just finished reading a series of emails from customers telling me how unusable they thought it was. They really loved the idea, but just couldn't use it. These were smart people, who got what we were trying to do, and yet were leaving. And then it struck me: I was failing! That's why it's hard to breathe. The feeling was so intolerable, and so unfamiliar (I rarely set myself in a high-probability-of-failure situation), that I didn't even know what it was. All I knew is "This feeling must stop. At any cost" I agree that failing isn't something to be aspired to. But I don't think that's what the OP is saying. If I'm stretching myself, I should be feeling this more and more. And getting more comfortable with it as just part of the picture of a successful life.