Overcoming failure 

Have you ever been so afraid of failing at something that you decided not to try at all? Or has fear of failure meant that, subconsciously, you undermined your own efforts to avoid the possibility of a larger failure?

Many of us have probably experienced this at one time or another. The fear of failing can be immobilizing – it can cause us to do nothing, and therefore resist moving forward. But when we allow fear to stop our forward progress in life, we're likely to miss some great opportunities along the way. this rule apples to those who have suffered from trauma, you got to face it regardless otherwise you don't overcome any fears. 

In this article, we'll examine fear of failure: what it means, what causes it, and how to overcome it to enjoy true success in life.

What Causes the Fear of Failure?

To find the causes of fear of failure, we first need to understand what "failure" actually means.

We all have different definitions of failure, simply because we all have different benchmarks, values, and belief systems. A failure to one person might simply be a great learning experience for someone else.

Overcome your fear of failure and move forward to be a better person within.

Many of us are afraid of failing, at least some of the time. But fear of failure (also called "atychiphobia") is when we allow that fear to stop us doing the things that can move us forward to achieve our goals.

Fear of failure can be linked to many causes. For instance, having unsupportive or critical parents or siblings is a cause for some people. Because they were routinely undermined or humiliated in childhood, they carry those negative feelings into adulthood. this is a common thing. 

Experiencing a traumatic event in your life can also be a cause. For example, say that several years ago you gave an important presentation in front of a large group, and did very poorly. The experience might have been so terrible that you became afraid of failing in other things. And you carry that fear even now, years later.

How You Experience Fear of Failure

You might experience some or all of the following symptoms if you have a fear of failure:

• A reluctance to try new things or to get involved in challenging projects.
• Self-sabotage – for example, procrastination, excessive anxiety, or a failure to follow through with goals. (this is very common.)
• Low self-esteem or self-confidence – commonly using negative statements such as "I'll never be good enough to get that promotion," or "I'm not smart enough to get on that team." (specially when you have suffered from traumatic sexual assault.)
• Perfectionism – A willingness to try only those things that you know you'll finish perfectly and successfully.

What Is The Definition of Failure?

It's almost impossible to go through life without experiencing some kind of failure. People who do so probably live so cautiously that they go nowhere. Put simply, they're not really living at all.

But, the wonderful thing about failure is that it's entirely up to us to decide how to look at it. That is why I look at my situations with a positive view. We can choose to see failure as "the end of the world," or as proof of just how inadequate we are. Or, we can look at failure as the incredible learning experience that it often is.

Every time we fail at something, we can choose to look for the lesson we're meant to learn. These lessons are very important; they're how we grow, and how we keep from making that same mistake again. Failures stop us only if we let them.

It's easy to find successful people who have experienced failure. For example:

• Michael Jordan is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. And yet, he was cut from his high school basketball team because his coach didn't think he had enough skill.
• Warren Buffet, one of the world's richest and most successful businessmen, was rejected by Harvard University.
• Richard Branson, owner of the Virgin empire, is a high-school dropout.

Most of us will stumble and fall in life. Doors will get slammed in our faces, and we might make some bad decisions. But imagine if Michael Jordan had given up on his dream to play basketball when he was cut from that team. Imagine if Richard Branson had listened to the people who told him he'd never do anything worthwhile without a high-school diploma.

For me as a musician even though my health went down hill since I was diagnosed with epilepsy I still achieved my goal to be a known musician around the world. In 2023 a vinyl record was released https://smalltownelectron.bandcamp.com/album/chill-in-my-vein I'm all over the world and I am grateful. This song is found on Spotify Chill in my vein - Lori Watt

And now I am a life coach certified in NZ.

Think of the opportunities you'll miss if you let your failures stop you. Failure can also teach us things about ourselves that we would never have learned otherwise. For instance, failure can help you discover how strong a person you are. that's why writing in a journal teaches us something. 

Failing at something can help you discover your truest friends, or help you find unexpected motivation to succeed. Often, valuable insights come only after a failure. Accepting and learning from those insights is key to succeeding in life.

How Not to Be Afraid of Failure

It's important to realize that in everything we do, there's always a chance that we'll fail. Facing that chance, and embracing it, is not only courageous – it also gives us a fuller, more rewarding life.

However, here are a few ways to reduce the fear of failing:

• Analyze all potential outcomes – Many people experience fear of failure because they fear the unknown. Remove that fear by considering all of the potential outcomes of your decision. Article Decision Trees will teach you how to map possible outcomes visually.
• Learn to think more positively – Positive thinking is an incredibly powerful way to build self-confidence and neutralize self-sabotage. Use CBT known as cognitive behavioural therapy. Article Thought Awareness, Rational Thinking, and Positive Thinking is a comprehensive resource for learning how to change your thoughts. https://tranquilitynz.blogspot.com/2022/11/intro-to-cbt-why-thoughts-matter.html
• Look at the worse-case scenario – In some cases, the worst-case scenario may be genuinely disastrous, and it may be perfectly rational to fear failure. In other cases, however, this worst case may actually not be that bad, and recognizing this can help.
• Have a contingency plan – If you're afraid of failing at something, having a "Plan B" in place can help you feel more confident about moving forward. I find writing it in a journal helps to do the plan.

How to Stop Living in Fear

If you are afraid of failure, you might be uncomfortable setting goals. But goals help us define where we want to go in life. Without goals, we have no sure destination. for example: I'm afraid of my future where will I go when my mother dies or moves into a rest home. This means I need to create a plan with myself and my brother to face it. 

Many experts recommend visualization as a powerful tool for goal setting. Imagining how life will be after you've reached your goal is a great motivator to keep you moving forward. However, visualization might produce the opposite results in people who have a fear of failure. Research shows that people who have a fear of failure were often left in a strong negative mood after being asked to visualize goals and goal attainment.

So, what can you do instead?

Start by setting a few small goals. These should be goals that are slightly, but not overwhelmingly, challenging. Think of these goals as "early wins" that are designed to help boost your confidence.

For example, if you've been too afraid to talk to the new department head (who has the power to give you the promotion you want), then make that your first goal. Plan to stop by her office during the next week to introduce yourself.

Or, imagine that you've dreamed of returning to school to get your certificate, but you're convinced that you're not smart enough to be accepted into business school. Set a goal to talk with a school counselor or admissions officer to see what's required for admission.

Try to make your goals tiny steps on the route to much bigger goals. Don't focus on the end picture: getting the promotion, or graduating. Just focus on the next step: introducing yourself to the department head, and talking to an admissions officer. That's it.

Taking one small step at a time will help build your confidence, keep you moving forward, and prevent you from getting overwhelmed with visions of your final goal.

Key Points

Many of us are sometimes afraid of failing, but we mustn't let that fear stop us from moving forward.

Fear of failure can have several causes: from childhood events to mistakes we've made in our adult lives. It's important to realize that we always have a choice: we can choose to be afraid, or we can choose not to be.

Start by setting small goals that will help build your confidence. Learn how to explore and evaluate all possible outcomes rationally and develop contingency plans; and practice thinking positively. By moving forward slowly but steadily, you'll begin to overcome your fear.

Failure doesn’t mean you will never succeed, it just means you may take a bit longer. You have no idea how close you may be to what you want to achieve. But if you give up, you will never know the feeling of success. It gives you experience and wisdom.

We do sometimes find ourselves blaming others for the situation we are in, but all it does is cause resentment, and we continue this suffering. Then when we move on to a rich, fertile, nourishing environment when you can grow. We learn to change our mindset to become that better person. 

Failure is not an option anymore and successfully achieve our goals.

Listen to podcast about overcoming failures 

Check out this video below 👇 

Keep working on yourself my friend. 

Lori from Lifesuccessnz xx 💋