Having a fear of failure is necessary, as it motivates us to work harder and become a better version of ourselves. It teaches us about our past mistakes and what course of action we need to take to move forward, so we do not repeat the same mistakes again. It is important to understand that failure is part of our lives, so is success, and we should not allow any of them to overpower us by any means, because the extreme of anything is not good for anyone.
Choosing to remain positive and taking small steps every day is a way to get over fear of failure and embrace the life you want. However, it is not as simple as it sounds, as it takes massive action and extreme patience to overcome the fear of failure and design the life you are destined for. Nevertheless, with an ounce of focus, you can make it possible. Here is how!
1) Discover the cause of Atychiphobia (Fear of Failure)
There was a time when you had a lot of vigour to do something in your life. You wanted to make a difference in the world or merely just wanted to live a peaceful life. But, all of a sudden, everything changed, and things you liked or ever wished for began to disappear in a thick fog of utter confusion and self-doubt. It seemed like a deer getting lost in a dense forest covered by mist. You had no idea what was happening to you, and gradually, little by little, an unknown force sucked the life out of you and paralyzed you with a disease called “fear of failure.”
It usually happens when you have a lot of expectations from yourself, taking perfectionism too seriously, undermining yourself, and even more, you experienced a traumatic failure in the past, which is not allowing you to experience the true happiness and fulfillment you deserve. Whatever may be the reason; you can overcome your fear of failure and attract the success in your life.
- Firstly, think about the worst possible outcome of your action, and come up with a solution, this would help you to fight back anxiety when you are working towards your goals.
- Second, instead of thinking about what hasn’t happened yet, focus on the things that you can control. This way, you can save your time and focus your energy on pursuing your goals.
- Thirdly, you have to plan in advance, so you won’t have to worry about future contingencies. Apart from having plan A, work on plan B aside, as it would help you feel less anxious and more secure in the long run.
- Fourth, take failure as a lesson—instead of pitying yourself, change your perspective towards failure. Even Wayne Dyer, a renowned author, once said, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” The same applies to your life. If you change the way you look at your failures, the failures you look at change.”
2) Set attainable goals
Have you ever met someone who landed on the moon in just one day or someone who became a billionaire overnight? Of course not, because the goal itself is paradoxical and unattainable. The same applies to our lives. If a goal itself says, “I am not worth it,” then going after it is not a wise choice because, in the end, you will have to face rejection. Setting up a big goal leads to potential complications, like, fear of failure, anxiety, cynicism, self-sabotage, lack of self-compassion, and emotional imbalances, which can cause you to suffer from mental health and anxiety issues.
Nobody wants to willingly step into a lion’s den to get eaten by him. Isn’t it? Setting small goals, on the other hand, will eventually help you achieve the larger ones. All you have to do is take consistent small steps with an open mind and compassion in your heart.
3) Stop limiting yourself
There is an inner power within all of us, and it is hidden somewhere deep down within, and can only be unlocked, if we know the password of it. But, you may ask, what’s the way to unlock it? The simple way to unlock your hidden value is to tie it to a belief. Once tied, begin to feed it every day with the things that scare you the most, the way you feed your dog with a stick. In fact, this is a brilliant way to test your hidden potential, and get over fear of failure.
4) Listen to your inner voice
Have you ever heard a voice that comes from within you? An unknown voice that keeps whispering in your ear? As bizarre as it sounds, what if that voice wants to align you with your greater self? What if it wants to help you achieve greater success in your life? However, out of thousands of voices, sometimes it becomes nearly impossible to find the right one. But, what if you tuned into the right one? What if all your desires started to align in one direction? What if you finally achieved your dream? Yes, it is possible! All you need is to trust your conscience, as it somehow knows who you are and what would be best for you.
5) Have an open mind
A person with an open mindset believes that the world is full of possibilities and that everyone has something to share with the world. They are empathetic towards each other and always listen to what the other has to say. Instead of considering their own view points, they consider others’ perspectives as well and never get angry when their opinions don’t match those of others.
They understand the value of having emotional intelligence in relationships. They understand the true meaning of life, and never get attached to anyone, any place or any person. Even Wayne Dyer once said that, if you can love someone without any expectations or an attachment, and just let them be who they want to be, you will see the true joy in your lifetime. Likewise, when you don’t allow your fear of failure to attach to yourself and open yourself to the world of possibilities, you will see how everything begins to turn into your favor.