Almost

Oops...

Can you remember any occasions you used this word?
 

Starting with “a close call” meaning as in: I almost got swallowed by a pigmy sea horse, I almost forgot where my head is... and escalating into total failures on your timeline...
 

a) I almost survived the car crash (on a tombstone)

b) I almost got back to my ideal weight

c) I almost reached the rainbow

d) I almost quit smoking
 

And about 1.465.876.389 other occasions. Rather an impressive number of failures. That's what “almost” denotes, isn't it?

Sometimes this almost is highly undesired.

Patient almost survived a fantastic procedure of a brilliant surgeon...

A diver almost got his hand on a secure outcrop, however, as it happens...
 

How to stop feeling (deservedly) that you are developing into a perfect impersonation of a failure?
 

Eliminate all the “almost” accompanying you.

Aim your artillery lower.
 

As long as you are shooting at the stars (a to d and some others), your old cannonball will fly from one miss to another. Aim to something you are able to hit.
 

I will eat this delicious Sacher cake.

I won't do anything productive all day.

I will watch other people working their asses of.

I will show a mental finger to anybody telling me to start working.

I will not abuse and overheat my brain to try to understand the world.

And so on...
 

Almost no need for dreaded "almost" at achieving these goals :)