"英雄的であることの最大の障害は、自分自身が愚か者であることを証明してしまうのではないかという疑念です。"
— Nathaniel Hawthorne
Simplified Meaning:
People often hesitate to do brave or daring things because they worry about looking foolish if they fail. Imagine a kid at school who wants to try out for the soccer team. He’s really good at soccer, but he's scared that if he doesn't make the team, his friends will laugh at him. This fear of embarrassment stops him from even trying. Similarly, throughout history, great leaders or inventors might have felt doubt before achieving great things. Thomas Edison, who invented the lightbulb, failed many times before succeeding. If he had been too worried about people calling him a fool, he might have given up. To apply this idea in everyday life, think about how it's important to take chances even if there's a risk of failure. The benefit is that, even if you fail, you learn and grow stronger, and you'll never succeed if you don't try. Believing in yourself and not being afraid of others’ judgement can lead to amazing achievements.