Fear of Failure? FK that!
How many times have you said ‘I can’t do this’ out of fear of failure? Also called “atychiphobia,’ this fear can often become so debilitating that it can hinder any attempt at achieving a goal that isn’t a guaranteed success.
People will fail you, love will fail you and some of your choices will fail you- it’s called life. The good thing? You LEARN and GROW from every love lost, choice and setback you make. These experiences are the building blocks that shape you into the amazing person you are today!
That’s the funny thing about life, no one seems to warn us about all the things that block us from achieving our life goals – the repeated failures, mistakes and bumps in the road.
If you truly wish to overcome this fear, defining your definition of failure is essential. What’s your definition of failure? Giving up? Not achieving your fitness goals? Not hitting that deadline? Not achieving a desired outcome within an expected timeframe?
You may think the answer to these questions are obvious. But you need to be clear on what you consider as a failure, since failure is the object of your fear and the obstacle to your SUCCESS.
Focussing on telling yourself whatever effort you put into trying, is better than the one you didn’t. Taking that almighty leap of faith towards a goal can feel daunting as hell, but so rewarding in the long run.
Failure is just as important as success, if not essential! But the important thing to remember is to not let this fear of failure define you.
You aren’t alone! Some of the most successful celebs have experienced significant failures:
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Michael Jordan; widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time was cut from his high school team because his coach didn’t think he had enough skill. As he once stated in a famous ad, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game-winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
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Steven Spielberg; while Spielberg’s name is synonymous with big-budget blockbusters and critically acclaimed films, he was rejected from the USC’s School of Theater, Film and Television three times. 35 years after starting his degree, Spielberg returned to school in 2002 to finally complete his work and earn his BA.
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J.K Rowling; she may be rolling in a lot of Harry Potter dough today, but before she published the series of novels, she was nearly penniless, severely depressed, divorced, and trying to raise a child on her own while attending school and writing a novel. Through hard work and determination (and a great book idea!), Rowling eventually went from depending on welfare to survive to being one of the richest women in the world in a span of only five years.
1. SWITCH your thinking.
Adjusting what you perceive as failure is the key here. Failure ultimately promotes growth, as long as you continue making the effort, there is no room for failure in life. Opting to choose to view failure as a valuable learning experience and the key to moving forward is your first step.
2. ACCEPT failure is inevitable.
As circumstances change and as your experience changes you, what you initially saw as the ideal outcome may no longer be attainable, appropriate or meaningful. If you don’t re-evaluate your goals you will be stuck in a downward spiral towards convincing yourself you are ‘failing.’ Research has shown, that people who re-appraise their goals and are able to adjust either their approach or their expectations enjoy better physicals and mental health!
Thinking you have failed to achieve your goals is admitting to failure itself. Fear not, tomorrow is a new day which presents a new opportunity to realign and start fresh. Anything is achievable, don’t be scared to work hard, take that chance and have a go!
“A person who falls and gets back up is much stronger than a person who never fell.”
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