Willing to Fail?

Willingness. Just plain old being willing has been overlooked by me, I think.
A couple weeks ago I was freaking out about taking on publicity for the women's retreat at our church. It's a large church and my freak out was spurred by the realization that there were probably a couple hundred folks in the church who did publicity for a living and might actually know how to do this job I'd just said I'd do. However, when I expressed this to folks I was told, "Yeah, but they didn't come forward to do it." In other words, they weren't willing. I received many kudos for being willing and as I've muddled my way through the job it's awesome how folks step up to help you if you just display your willingness.
Willingness to learn, to look stupid, to take instruction, to fail. There you go. Willingness to fail.
Willingness to fail - and all that goes with failure. Because being willing to step out and try new things has to include the possibility of failure.
Personally, I think we have to take a stick and knock some of the stuffing out of that monster called "Failure". Yet, the only way to do that is to experience it. To get up close to it, smell it's breath, feel it's slimy skin, hear it's deafening roar - and then watch it fade away in our rearview mirror. Because failure is just a moment in time and it will fade away.
So, how familiar are you with failure? Is it too scary to even think about? Or do you toast it as it goes by because it means you were willing?