Yesterday I posed the question, "What should I teach about next month in Spain?" Another way of framing the question is, "What do 20-somethings need to be successful?" For example, should we help them learn to how to take more risks and learn that failure is a normal part of life?

Your responses were helpful and stimulating.

Chelsea wrote on FB: "School teaches us that everyone can and should excel and parents are (generally speaking) no better. The expectation is that we will never fail at anything and when the reality hits that failure is not only likely but inevitable it can be crippling. In fact, that plays a huge part into way I have been so anti-leadership for the past 8 years of my life. Learning that failure isn't the end of the world is tantamount to helping a generation step out in faith and move."

Rozy: "It seems that disillusionment is the tool that teaches this generation."

Jody: "Perhaps everyone spends some time in listening prayer for - what does God want me to risk/obey today? Then go out and do it."

Greg: "What this generation needs is an exhortation to be consistent in their commitments."

Emy: "People are afraid of failing. Overcome this is to consciously recognize this fear and see how false it is."

Jeff: "I think most of our inaction is due to fear. We either stop pursuing what God has for us because we're afraid of change or because we're afraid of failure. I'd go to the heart of the issue - fear."

Suzanne: "At 25 I look around and see a need to release fear."

You helped me see that this issue of a fear of failure goes deeper than I'd realized. Can you take your exploration of this issue further for me? I invite your help in answering the question: Why do 20-somethings fear failure?