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How to Overcome Fear of Failure?

The potential for failure is terrifying. When you invest time and energy into a project, communicate with a large number of people about it, and spend sleepless nights working to achieve success, failure may be emotionally devastating. But if you live in continual dread of anything going wrong, what’s the point of trying to do anything? It’s possible that you’ll never get the job of your dreams because the effort would be pointless if you didn’t succeed. It’s possible that you’ll walk away from a potentially fulfilling relationship because you’re afraid of the hurt you might feel if it doesn’t work out. In either of these situations, the possibility of something unpleasant happening may discourage you from going after something lovely.

It’s natural to be anxious about how things will turn out, whether you’re worried about them at work or in your personal life. Individuals are more scared of failing, according to a survey of more than 1,000 people, than they are of spiders, being home alone, or even ghosts. In fact, people are more afraid of failing than they are of failing at anything else.

If you allow it, though, anxiety can turn into a crippling condition. It is essential to be aware of your concerns and to reinterpret them in order to prevent them from having a negative impact on your life. The anxiety of doing something incorrectly, looking dumb, or not living up to expectations lies at the root of many fears; this worry is another way of expressing the dread of failing. You might be able to alleviate some of the tension and anxiety you’re feeling by reframing the scenario that you’re dreading before you actually engage in it.

Conquer your fear of failing and keep moving forward in order to accomplish what you set out to do.

At least occasionally, many of us live in constant terror of falling short of our goals. Dread of failing, also known as “atychiphobia,” is when we let that fear to prevent us from doing the things that can move us ahead and get us closer to achieving our goals.

What is Reason for Fear of Failure?

What does it mean to be a failure, exactly? It is extremely unlikely that a person will make it through their entire life without falling short of their goals in some way. People that do this probably conduct their lives in such a guarded manner that they never venture anywhere. To put it another way, they are not actually alive at all in any sense. The good thing about failure, though, is that we get to chose how we want to look at it. This gives us a lot of freedom. Failure can be interpreted in two ways: either as “the end of the world” or as evidence that we are simply not good enough. On the other hand, we may view failure as the tremendous educational opportunity that it frequently is.

When we are unsuccessful at something, we always have the option of looking for the lesson that we are supposed to learn from the experience. These are highly valuable lessons to learn since they allow us to develop as individuals and ensure that we do not repeat the same errors in the future. Failures are only able to stop us if we allow them to.

• There are numerous possible explanations for why people are afraid of failing. For some people, for instance, having parents who are unsupportive or critical of them can be a reason. They are unable to shake the negative thoughts they have because they were constantly put down or humiliated when they were younger. This has led to them carrying those feelings into adulthood.

• Having a terrible event happen to you in your life is another potential trigger for this condition. 

What Happens when you experience the Fear of Failing

If you have a fear of failing at something, you might suffer one or more of the following symptoms, or even all of them:

• A unwillingness to engage in hard activities or to try new things, often known as risk aversion.
• Self-sabotage can take many forms, such as putting off doing things until later, experiencing extreme worry, or not following through with plans.
• Inadequate levels of self-esteem and self-confidence, as seen by the frequent use of negative phrases such as “I’ll never be good enough to receive that promotion” and “I’m not smart enough to get on that team.”
• A readiness to try just those activities that one is confident they will be able to complete flawlessly and successfully is an example of perfectionism.

Why Failure is Essential?

Just think about all the chances you’ll pass up if you give in to your insecurities and give up. In addition, failure can teach us something about ourselves that we would not have been able to discover in any other way. For instance, making mistakes is one of the best ways to figure out how strong a person you really are.

Failing at anything might help you find your truest friends or lead you to unexpected sources of encouragement to succeed. Both of these things can be beneficial. In many cases, gaining useful insights requires first experiencing some level of defeat. Understanding how to take in new information and grow as a result is essential to having a successful life.

It is essential that we come to terms with the fact that there is always the possibility that none of our endeavours will be successful. Not only does accepting that chance and making the most of it require bravery, but it also results in a life that is richer and more fulfilling for those who do so.

How to Reduce Anxiety of Fail?

• Consider and evaluate each of the conceivable outcomes Many people are afraid of failing because they are afraid of the unknown. You can get rid of that worry by giving careful consideration to all of the various consequences that could result from your decision. You will learn how to visually map the possible outcomes by reading our article entitled Decision Trees.
• Learn to think in a more optimistic manner, as this is a very effective strategy for boosting one’s self-confidence and preventing one from sabotaging one’s own efforts. You can learn how to change your thinking by reading our article, “Thought Awareness, Rational Thinking, and Positive Thinking,” which is a resource that covers a lot of ground.
• Consider the most worst-case scenario: In certain circumstances, the absolute worst-case scenario may be entirely plausible, and it may be reasonable to be concerned about the possibility of failing. However, in some circumstances, this worst case scenario might not actually be all that catastrophic, and being aware of this can be helpful.
• Make sure you have a backup plan – Having a “Plan B” in place might help you feel more secure about moving forward, especially if you have a fear of failing at whatever you are attempting.

How to Stop Being Scared and Enjoy Life?

Setting goals could make you feel uneasy if you suffer from a fear of falling short of them. But setting objectives helps us define the direction we want our lives to take. If we don’t have any aims, our destination won’t be certain.

The practise of visualising one’s success is one that numerous authorities endorse as an effective method for goal setting. Visualizing how different your life will be once you’ve accomplished your objective can serve as a powerful incentive to keep you moving in the right direction.

People who have a fear of failing, on the other hand, could find that the act of visualising negative outcomes has the opposite results. After being asked to picture setting objectives and achieving those goals, research has shown that those who have a fear of failing are frequently left in an extremely bad mood as a result.

What other options do you have available to you?

• To get started, select a few manageable objectives. These ought to be goals that present a moderate amount of difficulty, but not an insurmountable one. Consider achieving each of these objectives as “early wins” that are intended to strengthen your self-assurance.
• For instance, if you have been too timid to approach the new head of the department , then you should make overcoming that fear your primary objective. Make it a point to drop by her workplace once in the coming week so that you can formally meet her.
• Make an effort to make your ambitions more manageable baby steps on the path to much more ambitious goals. Don’t get caught up in the details of the final outcome, such as earning the promotion or completing your MBA. Just keep your attention on the following stage, which is to make your introduction to the department head and to speak with an admissions officer. That sums it up nicely.
• Taking things one step at a time will make you feel more confident, keep you going towards your objective, and avoid you from becoming overwhelmed by thoughts of the accomplishment you want to achieve in the end.

How to get over the fear of failing and succeeding?

It is one thing to be aware of your worries; it is another thing entirely to triumph over them. Here are some suggestions that might be of assistance.

1. Recognize that setbacks are inevitable and that learning from them can be beneficial

There’s a good reason why people have started using the phrase “fail quickly” more frequently during the past few years. Leaders in business are aware that admitting defeat is a necessary step towards reaching success. Every error is a learning opportunity that brings you closer to achieving your ultimate purpose.

No one ever establishes a company with the goal of having it fail. But if things do not go well, it is imperative that they do so fast. The sooner it’s over, the sooner you can reflect on what went wrong and how you can improve in the future.

2. Take on the mindset of a novice

There is always something that has never been done before. When you adopt the mindset of a novice, you face new obstacles not with fear but with curiosity and a positive outlook on the situation. Consider any circumstance to be a learning opportunity, and give yourself the grace to acknowledge that you are not an expert right away. Even the legend that is Michael Jordan had to put in his time in the gym before he became successful.

If you strive for excellence in everything you do, you probably want to be successful on the very first try. However, one should not have such an expectation. You are going to run against obstacles, and that is quite normal. A positive outcome can still be achieved even if there are three baby steps forward and one step back.

3. Communicate with someone you can rely on

When you’re unable to escape your own thoughts, overthinking and feelings of being overwhelmed can set in. It may be helpful to discuss your predicament with a reliable third party, such as a close friend, respected authority figure, member of your own family, or even a therapist. Share with them what is worrying you, and pay attention to their responses. They have the ability to alter the way you see things.

Reluctance to engage in novel activities. If you’re afraid of failing at something, it’s not worth your time to take on challenging undertakings or other kinds of endeavours. Self-sabotage. You either put off working towards your goals or allow your anxiousness to keep you from making progress towards them. Having low self-esteem, self-confidence, and doubting one’s own abilities. Because you don’t think you can accomplish what you set out to do, you don’t even make an effort to do so. The realisation that you will never achieve the same level of success as other people you see on social media makes you feel hopeless.