The Fear of Failure

Fear of Failure

Do you ever notice those people who just seem to feel naturally confident, are prepared to take on any challenge or are willing to try things despite the risk that they may not be successful? We may look up to these people and desire and aspire to be just like them, yet when it comes down to it, we just don’t do it.

We may end up procrastinating, doing it half-heartedly or gently freezing when considering the potential risks, failure or rejection. This can manifest itself in business, social opportunities or even religion. We can often give lots of reasons like it not being the best time, we have bigger priorities or being too distracted, and yet when we reach the opportune time nothing changes.

We know logically that we face consequences if we procrastinate or know that being refused or failing will leave us in the same situation we were in before, but that still seems to have no effect.

What could be blocking us is fear. These fears may manifest in several ways. It may be a fear of social rejection, being disliked or being looked down on by others. It may be fear of ‘regret’ if the potential risks do come to pass. Perhaps the fear is of that internal voice that may be triggered if we fail that labels us as useless, incapable, pathetic, not good enough. These ‘labels’ seem to cut straight into our core sense of self, and can trigger more feelings of shame, low self-worth or emptiness.

Overcoming the Fear

Explore the Fear: FEAR can be an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. Often the subjective emotional feeling can feel way bigger than the objective reality. By defining the true nature of what our fears are, though it won’t remove them, it will often soften and reduce it to a more realistic and manageable feeling. This allows us to then take the step forward, knowing we have less to lose than we first thought.

Reframing Failure: We are used to seeing failure as something that is negative and a label that defines who we are, and that being successful is determined based on our success-rate. I once heard from entrepreneur Steven Bartlett: “Failure = knowledge, knowledge = power, power = success”. By understanding that with every failure we are getting closer to our goal, and that every attempt, even if doesn’t give us our desired outcome, it at least gives us more knowledge and power with which to be successful, then the gap between us and success is getting smaller with each and every attempt.

Breaking down the tasks: If we could break down the task into smaller parts, we would be left with several smaller and easier challenges, with smaller risks and smaller fears. Additionally, with each small step, we get to experience, to feel and taste a small piece of success, which then opens us up to the possibility of experiencing even more success.

In Conclusion, the fear of failure is a natural, human experience, but it doesn’t have to control your actions. By confronting your fears, reframing failure, or breaking down tasks into manageable steps, you can overcome this barrier and move forward with greater confidence. Embracing the process and viewing each challenge as an opportunity for growth can help you slowly break free from the grip of fear and unlock your full potential.