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Let’s face it. We live in a world that values rationality, logic and common sense. If you are equipped with these three strengths, you will avoid risks, learn from your mistakes, and plan wisely for your future. You certainly wouldn’t be foolish enough to do the following:

You wouldn’t be fired from your newspaper job for lacking imagination and creativity and have the gall to think you could create an iconic entertainment empire. 1

You wouldn’t keep sending out the manuscript of your novel after it had been rejected twelve times. 2

If you couldn’t make your high school basketball team as a sophomore, you wouldn’t dream of showing up the next year to get humiliated again. 3

And if 26 of the campaigns you attempted for political office ended in defeat, you wouldn’t keep banging your poor head against the same immovable object. 4

What kind of fools are so dumb that they don’t get the hint and do it anyway? The kind that relish proving others wrong, climbing the mountain that everyone says they can’t, and don’t mind acting in ways that are unconventional, unpredictable and often irrational.

Running your own fool’s errand is a way of expressing your individuality, exploring your potential and discovering new possibilities. It is a way of having fun, making friends and creating memories. It is a way of living in the moment, enjoying the journey and not worrying about the destination.

Of course, foolish behavior has its risks and drawbacks. It can lead to embarrassment and regret. It can alienate you from your family, friends or colleagues. It can get you into trouble with the law, and your boss. And you might fail so bad, everybody laughs when they see you coming.

But if you’re willing to take the chance and go out on your own limb, you have a shot at being truly alive. (Even if you saw it off and hit every branch on the way down.) So go ahead and be foolish. Try something crazy, make the mistakes, laugh at yourself, and don’t let anyone rob you of what makes your foolish heart tick. These crackpots sure did:

1 The guy who co-created Mickey Mouse

2 Author of seven Harry Potter books

3 Successful Nike pitchman

4 The 16th President of the United States