It’s not necessary to fear the prospect of failure but to be determined not to fail.

The line contrasts two mindsets: anxiety about possible failure versus resolve to persist. Rather than treating failure as a looming threat that should be avoided at all costs, it reframes the emotional energy of fear into a practical commitment—preparation, effort, and resilience. The emphasis is not on guaranteeing success (which is often outside one’s control) but on refusing to be paralyzed or diverted by setbacks. In this sense, “not to fail” reads less as a promise of perfect outcomes than as a determination to keep working, learning, and trying until the goal is met or the attempt is honestly exhausted.