Cast in the mire

When I base a story on my past, the character starts off in my mind the hero but moves quite quickly into disfunctional blundery, sometimes an honest reflection of the past but sometimes with villainous detail added to truly cast the hero into the mire.

Then there is the chance that I might be judged on my skill, and my skills might be found wanting. It is not a problem to be wanting, to lack, to do as well as possible. But only if it weren't everything, all my want, all my need.  If only it weren't the dream poured into my childhood ear.  A dream I am not sure is mine, or a distortion of what was poured into childhood ear.

More worthwhile
Then I would like to make sure I am always trying to be better because being better is...