I’d Rather Be a “Has Been” Than a “Never Was”...

 There’s an old saying that carries a powerful truth: “I’d rather be a has-been than a never was.”

Being called a “has-been” often sounds like an insult.

As if your best days are behind you, your achievements forgotten, and your relevance gone.

But when you pause and think about it, the label carries something much greater.

A “has-been” is someone who once was.

Someone who dared to try, succeeded, and risked failure but found moments of victory.

A “never was,” however, is someone who never stepped forward.

Never took the chance. Never pursued the dream.

They stayed comfortable; perhaps they let fear win.

But in the end, they never created the memories, the stories, or the legacy that come from doing.

Life is not meant to be lived on the sidelines.

None of us can avoid aging, change, or decline in some areas of life.

But if you’ve left footprints behind, then you were..

Whether in a career, in relationships, or in your community.

And that’s worth more than the empty comfort of having never risked at all.

To be a “has-been” means you have stories to tell, lessons to share, and scars that prove you lived fully.

It means you once reached for something bigger, and your contribution is part of life.

So if the choice is between being remembered as a “has-been” or forgotten as a “never was,” I choose the former.

Because in the end, it’s not about staying on top forever.

It’s about knowing you climbed the mountain at all.

With very best wishes,

Chris Wilkinson.

I'm simply a messenger, writing and sharing with other patriotic South Afri-CANs. 

To encourage and inspire. I do not get paid for this.

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