Conquering Fear of Failure by Stacey Luces
STACEY LUCES
Fear of failure is an irrational, exaggerated, or uncontrollable fear where the individual believes there is a danger to their life and abandons activities they previously enjoyed. The fear of failure can lead to low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. This blog will illustrate how to conquer this fear by taking small steps towards your goal instead of pushing yourself too hard in one sitting. We’ll also look at some techniques you can use when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the task at hand. In conclusion, we’ll have a list of several ways to conquer this fear that works for different individuals!
Fear of failure can lead to procrastination, lack of motivation, loss of confidence, and discouragement. If you are ready to start taking action in order to conquer your fear of failure, then this article will be a great help with getting started.
Are there different types of fear of failure?
Yes! There are generally five types of fear that can develop from fear of failure: Phobias, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and depression. These can be caused by holding onto a negative feeling about failing too often.
Let’s explore these in more detail:
Phobias – The first type is phobias. Phobias are irrational fear that causes the individual to avoid or feel anxious about a certain situation. Phobias may be caused by past experiences, current situations, or stress.
Anxiety disorders – Anxiety disorders are the second type of fear of failure. Individuals with anxiety disorders tend to fear the unknown, new experiences, and being in a situation without control. They may also have panic attacks, insomnia, and muscle tension.
Panic attacks – The third type is panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden feeling of intense fear or terror that usually lasts for 10 minutes or less but can seem like an eternity to those experiencing them. Panic attacks may be caused by unfounded fear, such as a fear of failure or public speaking.
Depression – The fourth type is depression. Depression is when a person feels sad, hopeless, and helpless for long periods of time, which may be accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss (or gain), or insomnia.
Medication – The fifth type of fear that the fear of failure can cause is medication. Some medications can lead to side effects like depersonalization and derealization, the feeling that you are “not real,” “living in a dream,” or acting strangely.
Causes of Fear of Failure
Fear of failure can be caused by many different things. Some of the most common causes include genetics, childhood trauma or abuse, personal or cultural values, and personality types.
Genetics – This can be determined by a strong reaction to a certain situation. For example, if an individual had a parent that reacted severely to failure, he/she may also have this fear. If you have experienced a traumatic experience related to failure in the past, then you may also have a fear of failure.
Childhood Trauma – Fear of failure can also be caused by a traumatic event during childhood involving grades, sports, or some other activity. This may be a very common issue for some children, which can lead to them acting cautiously and avoiding these certain situations.
Personal Values – In some cases, the biased perception of these values can cause one to feel that failure is the end of the world. Learning ways to overcome this bias will be a great help for individuals sensitive to this trait.
Personality Types – Fear of failure is often seen in introverts and those who tend to be risk-averse. This can lead to fear of failure causing low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy.
A big part of this fear is caused by the feelings the individual has about failure. No matter what type of causes you have, conquering this fear relies on many factors.
Signs That Fear of Failure Is Holding You Back
There are many signs that the fear of failure is holding you back and preventing you from taking action. When it comes to conquering this fear, there are three important ways to conquer it: Identifying, working through your emotions, and dealing with the negative feelings associated with the fear of failure.
Identifying – The first step in conquering your fear of failure is identifying where this feeling stems from. This can be done by writing down the details of your experience and the emotions you felt, so you can clearly see where this fear is coming from.
Working Through Emotions – The second step is to work through your emotions. If a situation is a trigger for you, try to put yourself in that situation and work through the negative emotions that come up.
Dealing With Negative Feelings – The third step is dealing with the negative feelings associated with fear of failure. There are many ways to deal with these negative feelings, including stress management techniques, journaling, and exercise.
The Impacts & Consequences of Fear of Failure
When it comes to overcoming the fear of failure, many individuals go through different stages and processes. The common steps that people experience with this fear include: denial, initiating action, learning about success, and finally, the inevitable jubilation of conquering the fear. Let’s explore these in more detail:
Denial – This is when you are going against your beliefs or facing the fact that your fears are holding you back. You may have noticed that because you don’t want to admit your fear, then it is extremely hard to overcome. You are now having a hard time accepting this information.
Initiating Action – This stage is when you have acknowledged your fear of failure and want to discover a way to conquer it. You may have gone through the denial stage and now are getting started with conquering your fear.
Learning About Success – This stage is when you learn about the positive experiences’ others had and how they overcame their fear of failure. By reading stories from other people and sharing your story, it can be easier to handle this situation.
Jubilation – The last stage in overcoming these fears is jubilation conquering this fear. You feel great and glad that you were able to change the way you dealt with this situation.
The Challenge of Overcoming Fear of Failure
There are a few challenges that you may face when you are trying to overcome your fear of failure. Some of these include: overcoming the negative feelings associated with it, journaling, and learning about success techniques.
Overcoming the Negative Feelings Associated with Fear of Failure – The feelings associated with this fear can be quite overpowering and should not be taken lightly. As mentioned earlier, many people have found it challenging to handle these feelings. If you feel stuck in this stage, then there are many techniques that can help you overcome this feeling.
Journaling – Journaling can help you to understand your thoughts and feelings surrounding your fear of failure. This can allow you to discover many things and come up with a better understanding of yourself.
Learning About Success – One way to learn about this fear is to read stories of others who have overcome their fears. The more information you have, the easier it will be for you to overcome this fear of failure.
Tips for Overcoming Fear of Failure
There are a few ways that you can conquer your fear of failure: working on your relationships, reducing anxiety, and overcoming negative feelings. Let’s explore these in more detail:
Working on Your Relationships – This can be done through reading stories of others and sharing yours as well. The more you share, the easier it will be to understand yourself and help you cope with your fear of failure.
Reducing Anxiety – Another way to conquer fear is to reduce your anxiety levels. This can be done in several ways, including reducing stress, exercising, and learning a stress management technique.
Overcoming Negative Feelings – The final way to conquer this fear is to overcome the negative feelings associated with it. Remember to avoid acting out on negative tendencies (such as getting mad and frustrated). Instead, try to express yourself through writing, journaling, and talking to others.
It’s important to understand what caused you to feel this way about yourself in order to overcome your fear. This can be done by exploring your past experiences, looking for patterns, and understanding what it is about these situations that make you feel that way.
Once you’ve done this, it’s time to work on changing those feelings. Ask yourself what you can do differently in order to avoid a similar experience in the future. Next time, when you’re faced with a similar situation, try using one of these techniques:
Recognize your fear – When faced with a scenario where fear of failure may be present, ask yourself if your fear is rational or irrational. Be honest with yourself and understand that no matter how bad a situation seems, you can overcome your fear if you put enough effort into it.
Identify the true source of your fear – Even though your fear may seem irrational, it’s possible that there is a logical reason behind it. This is why it’s important to first identify the source of your fear before attacking its root cause. Try to identify what triggers your feelings of failure and ask yourself if you would be able to overcome them if they’re not present.
Reduce your fear to an acceptable level – Fear of failure can be overcome by working on it gradually. Learn to accept that tasks take time, are often difficult, and take a lot of effort. Make a plan for taking an action step toward your fear at least once per day in order to reduce the amount of fear and keep yourself from procrastinating.
Learn the different ways people fail – Of course, not all types of failure are bad! In fact, most people learn a lot more from their failures than they do from their successes. Learn how to define your own success criteria in order to determine which type of failure is best when it comes time to take action steps towards achieving your goal.
Anticipate obstacles and make a plan – Be realistic when you’re taking action steps towards your goal. Make a list of ten possible obstacles that may occur along the way, no matter how big or small. Ask yourself how they could affect your progress, and make plans on how you would react to each one of them.
Make a commitment – Make a public commitment to whatever it is that you’re working on in order to help motivate yourself with fear of failure. This is an important step to take when you’re looking to achieve your goals because it gives you a sense of responsibility and accountability.
Take action one small step at a time – When it comes time for action, don’t give yourself overwhelmed by trying to accomplish too much in one sitting. This will not only increase your feelings of failure but can also be detrimental to your ability to take action altogether. Instead, try breaking up the steps that are necessary in order to reach your goal into manageable tasks.
Set short-term goals – Goals can be broken into smaller and more achievable tasks that will help you reach your long-term (or final) goals. When working on a goal, try setting a time frame for its completion in order to give yourself some motivation to keep going.
Reward yourself – After you’ve achieved a certain task or completed a small goal, reward yourself for doing so by giving yourself the biggest piece of cake that you own. This will increase your confidence in yourself and your ability to take action in the future. Don’t forget to congratulate yourself for every successful step you take.
Get help from others – Sometimes, we need a little pick-me-up when it comes time to take action on our goals. Ask a friend, family member, or significant other for their support, and ask them to treat you like you’re a winner even if you don’t feel like one yourself! You’ll be surprised at how supportive others can be when it comes time to achieve your goal.
These are just ten of the most common ways individuals can overcome their fear of failure. Remember that conquering your fear of failure is a process and takes time. Be patient with yourself and celebrate all of your small successes by giving yourself credit for what you’ve accomplished.
Fear of failure by many is seen as a weakness. It is more than this and can be controlled by the individual with the right tools. If you have a fear of failure, then consider using many of the tools and techniques mentioned above. Most importantly, consider your fear a lesson that will help you grow as an individual. At the same time, know that there are plenty of resources available to you if this fear starts to become overwhelming.
Sending you positive thoughts for more clarity, confidence, and certainty.
Stacey.