The time I choked in front of a celebrity

There are moments in life when you have one shot to go for it.

This was one of those moments. And I blew it.

With each of our kids, I decided to take them on a special 14-year-old trip. Just them and Dad. Anywhere in the U.S.

Actually, it wasn’t about doing something I wanted to do—I just wanted to do what they wanted to do so I could spend time with them.

My son Conner loved baseball. His favorite player at the time? Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins. He even drew a picture of him in art class and dreamed of getting it signed.

So we packed our bags and flew to Miami for deep-sea fishing and a Marlins game. I splurged and got us seats right behind the dugout.

We got there early, picture in hand. And just as the players walked in… there he was. Giancarlo Stanton.

All I had to do was call out his name and ask for an autograph.

But did I? Nope.

I froze.

I felt intimidated by the security guard. I thought about all the people watching me. It was dumb, and I still kick myself.

And yes—I still apologize to my son for that missed moment.

But we both learned a lesson:

Go for what you want.

It’s better to feel embarrassed than to wonder what might have happened if you hadn’t taken the risk.

The truth is…

Fear costs more than failure. The worst thing that could’ve happened? He ignored me. The best? A lifelong memory for my son. The actual outcome? Regret.

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Regret is expensive. Lost opportunities aren’t just missed moments. They’re lessons in what not to do next time.

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But boldness pays dividends. The people who succeed aren’t necessarily the smartest or the best.

They’re the ones who go for it. They take the shot. They make the ask.

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So speak up. The cost of not taking action is often higher than trying and failing.

Fear of embarrassment is a terrible life (and financial) strategy.

If something matters, go after it. The worst-case scenario is rarely as bad as we think.

To your success,

Derrick