Does ambition make us who we are? Can you ever really see yourself as others do?

Around 30 years ago, in middle school, I discovered a book called The Stainless Steel Carrot. It tells the true story of a young man once loved by thousands, a 1970s hero whose actions helped kick off a national movement and who now lives a quiet, retired life in Southern California.

John Morton got his start sweeping floors for the legendary Carroll Shelby, but he always wanted to get to the top—to open-wheel, to Indy cars, possibly even Formula 1.

A goal is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s hard to get anywhere if you don’t know where you want to go. On the other hand, it’s entirely possible to have a successful life without landing the one thing you’ve wanted forever.

Does missing a goal like that make you a failure? Of course not. But it can change how you see what you did accomplish.

Driven to Fail is a podcast about what happens when things go wrong. What we do when life falls apart, and what we learn when we try to put it back together.

Brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network.

This is the final episode of Season 1. Thank you for listening!