The idea behind my "Overcome Fear" series is to take a look at how fears prevent us from reaching our full potential and learn strategies for overcoming them.
In this post I'll talk about the fear of failure and how it often prevents us from taking action. Let's start by looking at how fear works.
What Is the Fear of Failure?
Fear of failure occurs when we feel like we won't be able to do something without risking a big loss. This feeling can take many forms:
Failure = Loss of Money = Failing to Get What You Want = Losing a Relationship = Not Having Enough Time = Not being Good Enough = Getting rejected
You might think you can avoid this kind of fear by avoiding risk, but this just leads to another kind of fear - the fear of lack of opportunity.
How Can You Protect Against the Fear of Failure?
The first step in overcoming your fear of failure is recognizing that the only way to not fail is to never try.
We cannot avoid every risk, but we can reduce the chances of failure by using these strategies:
Think About the Worst Case Scenario
Keep in Mind That Things Will Work Out
Identify What You Can Do Differently Next Time
Think About What You Could Lose Instead
Recognize that Success Can Be a Learned Skill
Reassess Whether the Risk is Really Worth It
When you understand that the worst case scenario is inevitable, you can stop stressing about it.
There are two types of failures:
The ones you make as a result of a mistake
The ones that result from something external (like bad luck).
You can control which type of failures occur by keeping an eye on your mistakes. Mistakes occur when you don't follow your plan, but if you keep your eyes open and watch for the signs that you're making them, you can head them off before they happen.
When you look for opportunities to fail, you can make the most of them. When you keep your eyes peeled, you'll often notice something you missed before the opportunity is lost.
As long as you know what the consequences of failure are, you'll be prepared for any setbacks.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for failure:
Start Small and Move Up
Be Patient
Build on Your Previous Successes
Learn From Your Mistakes
Stay Calm
Don't Stress Yourself Out
Take a Break When You Need One
Celebrate Your Successes
Overcoming the fear of failure takes practice, but it can be done. Now that you have the tools you need, you just have to put them to use.