The fear of failure can respond to multiple circumstances. It is an irrational fear of a multifactorial nature. Among the most frequent circumstances, we have low self-esteem, mismanagement of expectations, dependence on others to perform almost any activity, etc.
These kinds of behaviors and thoughts are mainly those derived from unfounded fears, to know how to overcome the fear of failure we must first be able to recognize in ourselves any of these cognitive distortions.
How to overcome the fear of failure?
In the following lines, we will review some effective techniques, which can help greatly in overcoming the irrational fear of failure.
1. Recognize your own emotions
The recognition of one’s own emotions is indispensable to face the fear of failure. When we are able to recognize that we are feeling fear, we can deal with it much more effectively than when we refuse to accept it.
Thus, overcoming the fear of failure begins with being able to analyze the situation from which we start and explore those sources of fear, which makes a project scary or distressing.
2. Identify the exact focus of fear
Feeling that we are afraid of failure is something that is quite general, what we must do in these cases is to identify what exactly is motivating our fear, what exact part of the process is generating anxiety and distress.
Once you are able to determine the real reason for your fears, you will know what aspects need to be improved in order to overcome them. It is a matter of analyzing from the most general to the most specific in order to find our Achilles’ heel, the one who knows his fears becomes stronger.
3. Motivation techniques
Sometimes the fear of failure can be subject to a general lack of motivation. In these scenarios what we must do is strengthen our motivation and help it to be maintained over time. There are several personal motivation techniques that can provide you with a solution to your fears.
It is important to keep in mind that motivation can be internal or external; when it is internal it is because we enjoy the process of doing something we like, while when it is an external motivation what drives us to fulfill our objectives is the concrete and objective reward we will receive for it.
4. Transform your way of thinking
When we think that failure will haunt us everywhere and that there is nothing we can excel at, we must stop for a moment and take a hard look at our situation. Ask yourself: do these thoughts make sense? What is stopping me from really achieving success?
When you realize that the main obstacle between success and you are your own thoughts, you will have advanced on your path by overcoming the fear of being wrong. Success is relative; think of it as an everyday thing. Every day you succeed at something. If you see failure as a learning opportunity for future success, you will take advantage of it.
5. Plan for realistic goals
Realistic goals keep us from the probability of dismal failure, as we plan our goals more assertively we will begin to see our success more attainable and consequently dispel the fear of failure.
This is one of the easiest tips on how to overcome the fear of failure, since it is based on easily determined actions, such as setting a schedule, dividing general objectives into more specific ones, etc. If, on the contrary, we set unachievable goals, we will end up getting frustrated and assuming the idea that nothing works out for us, which in the long run paralyzes and leads to passivity and defeatism. We must seek a balance between the present state and that which can be achieved with the means available now.
6. Try to be the best version of yourself
This point refers to gradually surpassing what has been achieved. When we start an activity it is normal that we are not so good at the beginning, but eventually, we will improve as time passes and we are constant. So, take each advance as a personal triumph.
Always try to surpass yourself without becoming obsessed with it. Remember that all excesses are negative, and too much self-demanding can lead to high levels of frustration that are counterproductive to our cause.
7. Don’t run away from the possibility of failure
As you begin to think of failure as just another possibility, without necessarily being something catastrophic, the fear of it will begin to dissipate.
The less you strive to avoid failure and the more you focus on the process of doing what you set out to do and enjoying it, the better off you will be in terms of performance, and your fear will disappear, being replaced by a more adaptive way of seeing failure.
