Have you recently experienced failure? Or maybe you struggled with the fear of failure on a daily basis. Many of us have gotten stuck in our lives because we were afraid to do something because we may fail. That is completely understandable, but failure is not a bad thing. In order to overcome your fear of failure or even a recent failure you’ve experienced, you need to shift your view of failure in general.
Recognize that you’re Putting Too much Emphasis on What Others Think of You
This needs to stop immediately. The truth is that the people who are afraid of failure aren’t afraid of the failure itself but rather what others would think of them if they found out they failed. If you were, to be honest with yourself, there is probably an aspect of your life where you are living your life according to what others want. People afraid of failure often wonder what others think about them, what they will think, etc. This causes unnecessary worry, uncertainty, and unsettledness within you. Once you realize you are putting too much of an emphasis on other’s opinions, you will begin to step out of your comfort zone and face failure.
Always Project the Best Case Scenario
If you are afraid of failure, it is in part because you have an active imagination. It is great at imagining the worst case scenario. What can you do instead? Instead of imagining the worst case scenario, think about the best possible scenario that can arise from all of this. The more often you can visualize and see the best outcome, the more likely you’ll be to accept this as a reality.
Allow yourself to Feel the Fear of Failure
One of the biggest reason that people are afraid of failure is that they don’t like the way it feels. The more you allow yourself to feel failure, the better you will get at dealing with it. Sit down for a couple of minutes each day and think about the things that scare you the most. Your heart may start to race and you will definitely feel uncomfortable, but sit with it. The more you do this the more your body will become used to fear and it will begin to trigger calming responses.
No one likes failure, but it is a part of life. Instead of avoiding it, embrace failure. Use it to learn lessons and improve. Recognize when you are putting others opinions above your own. When thinking about scenarios, try to envision the best case scenarios. Lastly, allow yourself to feel the fear of failure. The more you get used to the feeling, the easier it will be to handle it.