Almost everyone experiences fear of failure. This fear prevents you from taking action and trying, because you fear you might fail.
First and most important, both fear of failure and thoughts about success are just thoughts that run in your mind.
Failure does not have more chances to be realized than success; they are both equal at the starting point.
So, why would you increase the chances of failure, and imagine the worst?
Why do you prefer to think frightening thoughts such as:
- I shouldn’t dare … because I’ll most certainly fail.
- I shouldn’t try anything new, because I’m not that talented.
- I am done with love, because I always experience disappointment.
If you let fear direct your decisions, you give up the right to grow, flourish, and be happy.
How to Overcome the Fear of Failure
My technique for overcoming the fear of failure is to confront this fear, by changing my attitude toward it. Contrary to most people do, I do not expect the worst to happen. I expect the best to happen, and I strive to do the best I can.
It is all in your mind, the good and the bad, so instead of dwelling on the worst, imagine the best. Make a conscious decision to think in a positive way, and anticipate successful results. This kind of thinking would make no room in your mind for the fear of failure.
The way to overcome fear is by adopting a positive attitude in life. It is all in the mind, so I choose to focus on positive outcomes.
I fill my mind with thoughts about success and I anticipate that my new initiative/ exam/ new job/ social relations are about to thrive and succeed, and therefore I’ll act accordingly, and do my best to make it happen.
- I envision that my new plan will improve my live.
- I imagine how this new job will be rewarding and will make me happy.
- I visualize how wonderful my spouse is, and that we have a great life together.
We have the choice to substitute in our mind, fear of failure with believing in ourselves and hoping to succeed in whatever we do.
Thinking about the good that is about to happen, opens a wide road to inner happiness.
If you expect to fail, will you bother to make any effort to succeed?
- Will you study for the exams diligently?
- Will you devote extra hours to finish the project?
- Will you risk your time and money if you expect failure?
Most probably not, because you would consider it a waste of time and energy.
If you don’t study thoroughly, you’ll most probably fail.
If you don’t devote time and effort, you’ll most probably fail.
Then, might think, “It’s good that I didn’t devote any extra effort, because I failed as I anticipated.”
If you expect to succeed, will you make the extra effort?
- If you expect success, will you learn for the exam day and night? You certainly will.
- If you think you have a good chance of success, will you invest time and, energy and use your skills to achieve your dream? You certainly will.
- If you expect success, will you be motivated, and do the best you can to succeed? You certainly will.
When you do your best, you have a better chance to succeed, than when doing very little because you anticipate failure.
What to Do When I Do My Best and Still Fail?
Now comes the big questions that people ask themselves often.
What if I do my best, and still fail?
The answer to this question depends on the way you choose to respond to failure.
Plans don’t always work out as we want, and how you react to failure will determine our future.
If you choose a negative attitude and consider failure as a horrible disaster, this mean that you are giving in, and do not give yourself another chance. However, if you display a positive attitude, you can learn from your failures.
The Chinese philosopher Lau Tzu said, “Failure is an opportunity.”
Failure can be an opportunity to examine your mistakes, improve your knowledge, make an extra effort and do better the next time.
- Failure can be a good opportunity to ask yourself whether you really want what you are doing, or you want it because someone has convinced you to do it.
- Failure can also be a good opportunity to consider changing direction and explore new territories.
In spite of past failures, never give up on yourself, always believe in yourself, and always remember to wish yourself the highest good. This attitude would help you overcome the fear of failure.
Below, you will find a few quotes that teach how to overcome the fear of failure.
Quotes about Overcoming the Fear of Failure
“Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.”
– George Edward Woodberry
“No man ever achieved worth-while success who did not, at one time or other, find himself with at least one foot hanging well over the brink of failure.”
– Napoleon Hill
“When you take risks you learn that there will be times when you succeed and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important.”
– Ellen DeGeneres
“Failure seldom stops you. What stops you is the fear of failure.”
– Jack Lemmon
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.”
– William Faulkner
About the Author
Dorina Sasson has been trained in Louise L. Hay’s teacher training course, and is a certified teacher for “You can heal your life” study course, and “Love yourself, heal your life” workshop.
