The fear that people have is not failure. They are stressed because of what they believe will happen if they fail. This dread can cause low self-esteem, the avoidance of difficult tasks, pessimism, and even dishonesty.
HOW TO LESSEN FEAR OF FAILURE
So how can you get over your fear of failing? Seven ideas are provided below:
- No-shame rule
The dread of humiliation and disgrace is the most prevalent fear of failure among young people. This is seen in athletes who play it too safe so they won't be the ones to make a mistake or in students who choose not to provide an answer to a question in class out of fear of looking terrible in front of their teammates.
- Identify the issue
Psychologists think there are three ways people handle stress. These are problem-focused, emotional, and avoidant. Take the example of being concerned about snakes in your garden. You may resolve to never enter your garden again (avoidant focused), persuade yourself that having snakes in your backyard isn't all that horrible (emotion focused), or enter your garden and remove the snakes (problem focused). Problem-focused coping tackles the issue head-on and enables you to achieve long-term success, in contrast to avoidant and emotionally oriented coping, which may only offer temporary respite. Avoid burying your head in the sand like an ostrich. Determine a solution if something is causing you concern.
- Analyze your fears
Are your fears unfounded and extremely unlikely to materialise? I've had a lot of fears in my life, most of which never transpired, as Mark Twain famously remarked. This is a fantastic quotation because it sums up perfectly how many students wind up worrying about the worst case scenario, frequently for no apparent reason. Reassure them that there is no need to assume the worst if they have put in the necessary effort.
- Focus on the things you can change rather than the things you can't
since this will reduce stress and anxiety. It provides people a sense of assurance and confidence by assisting them in concentrating on what they can manage. Elite athletes, like Tom Daley, refer to this as being process focused, which is focusing on what needs to be done (the process) to give them the best chance of success rather than the outcome (i.e., the result, which they cannot control). Similar reasoning holds true for students in academic settings. Although they have no influence over their final grade, they may maintain concentration by focusing on their work, attitude, and organisational skills.