Getting Over Your Fear of Failure
I was lucky enough to grow up with parents who instilled in me the belief that everything was feasible. Despite this, I was afraid of failing and hence avoided taking risks greater than I believed I could handle. This was true in academics, as well as in personal and professional life.
However, it wasn’t until I was in my late 40s that I came to understand that I was really capable of accomplishing practically any goal I put my mind to. Every now and again, I’ll find myself wondering, “what if.” What would have happened if I had taken greater chances in my work life? Think about what might have happened if I had been more involved in social groups throughout my college years. I’m not sure whether I would have discovered a sport I was enthusiastic about if I hadn’t been terrified to fail in the first place.
It was only lately that I came across a word that I had never heard before: “failing ahead.” The notion is that we should learn from our errors and become better people as a result of our experiences. Setbacks should not hold us back; instead, they should provide us with the information we need to go ahead.
What is the best way to fail forward?
Take Chances – Richard Branson, the creator of Virgin Airlines, has established his firm on the premise that “You don’t learn to walk by obeying the rules.” By doing, and falling over, you gain experience. Attempting something new and failing may lead to creativity and progress in the long run.
Concentrate on Growth – try new things and keep your eyes on the prize. Increase the size of your thoughts and the size of your inner dialogue about what is conceivable. We reject ideas because we are certain that they will fail on a number of different occasions. Regardless, give it a go. Make use of all of your experiences, even failures, as stepping stones. As Vincent Van Gogh once put it, “I am continually doing what I am unable to do presently, in order to learn how to do it later.”
Learn on a continuous basis – it is important to not only learn from our triumphs, but also from our mistakes. There is always something to be gained from both situations. What did you find to be effective? What did not work? Failure may be one of the most valuable teachings in one’s life. Thomas Edison famously said that he had not failed, but rather had discovered 10,000 methods that would not work.
Embrace Failure – Recognizing that you have failed might be one of the most difficult things you will ever face. Accepting the situation, on the other hand, frees you up to go on. Always remember that failure is an inevitable part of the success process; accept your mistakes and move on.
Maintain your attention and motivation by identifying the things that are most important to you in life and business and making them a priority. You should devote your time and efforts to these matters first. The stress of trying to juggle a large number of tasks might leave you feeling angry and perhaps set you up for failure.
Don’t be a victim — feeling sorry for yourself will not help your situation. Failure should be used as an opportunity to investigate what went wrong and put mechanisms in place to avoid the same errors from occurring again. Plan ahead of time rather than blaming yourself.
Have no regrets because life is too short to live it with regrets. Instill in yourself the belief that every step you take, no matter how successful or unsuccessful, is a chance for learning and progress. Taking chances and failing should be appreciated, since it indicates that you are attempting new things and pushing yourself to the next level.
Maintain a constant state of struggle. Don’t be so terrified of failing that you don’t take prudent chances in the first place. The poet William F. O’Brien once said, “It is better to try and fail than never to attempt at all,” and he was right.
Most days, I am filled with self-assurance, but there are certain days when I am tormented with emotions of self-doubt and a genuine dread of failing. But I’m going to put more emphasis on taking bigger risks, trying new things, and not being scared to fail in the process. What are your thoughts?
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“Twenty years from now, you will be more dissatisfied by the things that you didn’t do than you will be by the things that you did accomplish,” says the author. Remove the shackles off your wrists. Get away from the harbor’s protection. Take advantage of the trade winds in your sails. Explore. “Dream, then discover.” The author Mark Twain
