Fear Can Cause Failure
What would life be like if you could live without any unnecessary fears?
Most people don't do as well as they could because they fear to make the attempt. Or even if they do try, their performance is marred by nerves brought on by self-doubts and nagging fears.
What would you dare to do, or dare to say, if you did not have any fear of failure?
Fear causes failure
Examples of how fear causes failure.
- The footballer who is taking a penalty on which the outcome of the match depends, is so distracted by fear of failure that his performance is inhibited; he strikes the ball badly and he misses by a mile.
- The interviewee who fails to show his true colours because his nerves get the better of him and he presents as a nervous wreck.
- The person who won't even enter the competition, because he fears that failure would bring ridicule or loss of respect from his friends and family. So he never even puts his name down, and instead, watches silently from the side-lines.
The fear of failure, the fear of loss, the fear of disappointment is sufficient to stop many people from even making the attempt to win a prize. And as a result, they lose.
There are a number of things you can do to eliminate the fear of failure. Here are the first five:
1. Tell yourself that failing to try is the ultimate and profound failure.
Some people think failing to try is the best way to insulate themselves from the possibility of failing. But that just isn't so. Not trying is the definition of ultimate and profound failure. The only way to avoid profound failure is to put your name down and give it your best shot.
2. Preparation puts fear to flight.
The more preparation you do, the less you will fear failing. So don't waste time worrying, put your mind to the task of preparation. Prep your journey. Prep your presentation. Prep your responses. Prep your mind and body.
- Fear cannot live in a well-prepared mind.
- Fear loves to live in an ill-prepared mind.
So prep your way out of your palpitations. Fear is afraid of preparation.
3. Model successful people.
Most things you want to do has already been done, by millions of others. Those other people are not super human. They are normal. Like you. If they can do it, then you can do it; but if, and only if, you do the same things as they did.
Winners win because they do things differently to non-winners. In order to win, you could get clues on what to do by studying the behaviours, the beliefs, the language and the body language of those who have already won.
Success leaves clues. Find the clues that are apparent in the actions of winners, and apply them to yourself. Model winners and put fear to flight.
4. "Feel the fear and do it anyway" as author Susan Jeffers said
In other words, just because you feel fear, does not mean you should stop. It means you should go fast forward, whilst being afraid.
In other words, don't be afraid of being afraid. Being afraid is normal.
Everyone is afraid. It's just that some people won't let that stop them from doing anything. Other people allow fear stop them from doing everything.
5. Train your brain to be afraid of NOT even trying.
If you did that, then to qualify as a non-failure, you must first hit me with your best shot.
How to overcome the fear of failure
fear of failure
Fear of failure is a mental barrier in personal development. It is the uneasy feeling that something will go wrong, which sparks worry, tightens the body and drains self-belief before you even start. This worry appears just as you plan or perform a task and can freeze action or spoil your effort, so success becomes less likely.
CG4D Definition
Context: Personal development
Genus: Mental barrier
- Centres on imagined loss or disappointment
- Creates strong worry that narrows focus and lowers confidence
- Arises before or during an important task
- Stops or weakens action, cutting the chance of success
Article Summary
Fear of failure crushes more dreams than lack of skill; prepare well, copy proven winners and act even while anxious, because real failure is choosing not to try at all.