How to overcome the fear of failure?

The fear of failure 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. You know, how many ideas you used to have in your head, but end up doing nothing about it because you thought you were going to fail?  I know, it’s not easy. But after all, the fear of failure is part of human nature. But now at least you know the problem, and you’re fighting it (the proof is that you’re clicked on this post to read it).  Which is a step ahead of achieving your goals. Remember this: you are your only limit. Once you understand that, things can get a little easier. So how to overcome the fear of failure? Here are 5 tips that always help me to do so and that will definitely help you too along the way.

5 tips on how to overcome the fear of failure

1. Redefine 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.

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.

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. 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.

2. Learn to think more positively

Positive thinking is an incredibly powerful way to build self-confidence and neutralize self-sabotage. Our article Thought Awareness, Rational Thinking, and Positive Thinking is a comprehensive resource for learning how to change your thoughts. I know that negative thoughts is something that most of us experience from time to time. But it can often be more harmful than helpful: it can bring you down and stunt your success.

Check out my blog post on “How to stay positive every day.”

3. Face your fear

“Face your fear” isn’t exactly a new concept. However, it’s a lot more straightforward to face a fear of heights or spiders than it is to face a fear of failure. So all you need to do is face that fear. I know that taking the first step is very difficult. It will take you a lot of time to be prepared to it, but you have to do it. Once you take the first step, it is easier to keep moving. By doing so, you will expand your comfort zone.

Check out how to get out of your comfort zone here

4. Start small

A fear of rejection and failure can still keep us from fully embracing, or even creating, opportunities at work or in our personal lives.  Here’s one concrete thing you can start doing today to change that:

Action step:  Embrace your inner Spetsnaz. You don’t have to go as far as you think you should. Start small. Try to get rejected just once this week (ask someone a question and get prepared to get a “No”). Strike up a conversation with a stranger. Ask a colleague for coffee. Speak up at least once in your weekly team meeting.

5. Ask 3 Powerful Questions

The best response to perceived failure is to ask oneself these three powerful questions:

1)   What did I learn from this situation?

2)   How can I grow as a person from this experience?

3)   What are three positive things about this situation?

If you stick with this exercise, before you know it, you will see a new opportunity that can come out of this “failure”, your definition of failure will change as well as your negative anxious thoughts.

And remember, our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. And yeah, that’s it, this is how to overcome the fear of failure.