50 Killer Strategies to Overcome Fear of Failure in Life
Fear of failure is the phobia to undertake an activity because of the fear that you may fail in the accomplishment of such activities or tasks. This kind of failure cuts across different kinds of activities. Usually, when a task is required, there is the need to accomplish such a task to a specific standard. Some may be deterred from taking such an activity for the fear they may not satisfy the required standard. When there is a fear of failing and that of losing, it is part of the fear of failure. Some psychologists have classified this as part of mood disorder and anxiety disorder. Most people do suffer from this kind of fear at one time or the other. The fact is that no one is a perfectionist, and when you are given a task you must do your best to accomplish it. Even if you fail once, you may get it right the next time, since nobody is beyond failure.
Is the fear of failure a good thing?
Fear of failure is not a good thing but some people may argue that it is good because it could motivate them to plan to succeed. Fear of failure is not good for one reason and that is it makes us procrastinate. The fear you may fail could make you stop taking up responsibilities because you may not accomplish it according to others to the required standard. If you fear that your best might not be the best enough, then there is the tendency to abstain from taking action. It is not a good thing when it can prevent you from doing what you should ordinarily do to succeed.
Causes of Fear of Failure?
Several factors are responsible for the fear of failure. Here are some of the factors responsible for that and they include the following:
01.Critical and parents that do not support
The major cause of that problem arises from the family and it can become a childhood humiliation by their parents. Negative comments from parents can negatively affect the kid’s attitude. If you grew in a family where failure is considered taboo, or where you are criticized for failing, this can hinder you from making efforts in the future.
02.Traumatic experiences
Traumatic experiences at one time or the other can be a factor. Because of that bad experience, you can see taking responsibility as a challenge that could lead to the same kind of experiences that you had in the past. If you have experienced a failure when you were growing up, this can make you build a serious resilience for future tasks.
03.Ego
Many people fear failure because trying and failing can hurt their ego. Because of that, it makes it difficult for people to try something new. This forces lot of people from trying new things and the fear to try new things because of failure hurts human learning and skill development. It also makes it impossible for most people to attain those things they have dreamt for themselves. If you live yourself intending to impress other people, then you can think of that.
04.Perfectionist attitude
If you want to be a perfectionist which means that you do not do things you can fail, this can stop you from trying. Perfectionists believe in attaining the highest standard and instead of not attaining that highest standard, they prefer not to try at all. It can be a factor that stops people from trying new things. These are some of the factors that can cause such people from trying.
05.Trying to satisfy others
Perfectionists will insist that one does things in his own way which is a perfectionist’s way. Fear of satisfying the perfectionists could deter people from attempting. It is one of the reasons that make people not to try for the fear of failure.
Ways to overcome the fear of failure in life?
Anybody can overcome failure. Every successful person has a reason to fail and the reason is the fear of failure. The best way to succeed is to work hard and overcome the fear of failure in life. Here are the fifty proven ways you can try today to overcome failure and become a successful person in life.
01.Evaluate all possible outcomes
The major reason people fear failure is the fear of the unknown. Because they do not what the outcome of their actions would be, they will refrain from taking action. The best way to deal with problems is to remove fear and plan very well before you start. You have to figure out what the outcome will be if you do it this way or that way. If you evaluate the possible outcomes and map out workable strategies that can overcome all obstacles and challenges you meet on the way, then you can overcome failure. You should have confidence that your strategies must win then you can overcome the fear of failure.
02.See it as a challenge when failure is possible
When you embark on any project, two things are possible and that includes failure or success. There you must always see the possibility of failure and you must take it as a challenge or an obstacle you must overcome. If you see possible bumps ahead of you, then you must articulate ahead of time how to cross that bumps when you meet them. Always expect failure and you must have a plan B of how to deal with those envisaged obstacles that could cause failure for you.
03.If you undergo failure, approach yourself nicely.
You may have undergone failure in the past and you should not allow that to deter you from trying again. Approach yourself nicely and do not allow the previous failure to weigh you down instead you should learn from your failure to avoid the same thing repeating itself. It is said that experience is the best teacher. In this case, your experience is your teacher. Learn from that, overcome it, and plan forward until you reach your goals.
04.Discover the advantages of prior failures
Consider the previous failure as a blessing in disguise. This is because it teaches you what you do not know before. It also prepares you for future tasks. The previous failure is the chance for you to do more. Study many successful people you can think of and you discover that they failed in the past and they studied the reason for their failure and they reached their destination in life.
05.Start to act more positively
Positive thinking begets a positive attitude. It is time to start acting and thinking positively. Your thought system as well as your internal dialogue impacts positively or negatively on your actions. This means that if you act more positively, you can attract only the positive energy which you require to drive you to success.
06.Have a strategy for disaster
If you carefully plan the way around your business, you can easily overcome all the disasters and obstacles. Planning around the way of business means that you must think of the possible obstacles especially those that can affect the kind of business you do. You should have a strategy on the ground to deal with a disaster that can confront your business and your kind of business.
07.Find out from where fear comes
Fear is man made. This means that you can track the cause or the reason for the fear and deal with it right from the root. Every fear must have an origin. If you want to cure it, you must start from the origin and the root and nib it right from the bud. When you deal with the cause of the fear then the chances of success are there.
08.Learn from every failure
Failures are not without reason. Wide investors always learn from the mistakes of others. It is good that you learn from your own failure. Do not learn from your own failure alone, try to learn from every failure including the failure of others especially those who have ventured into the kind of business you are planning to do and failed. You can learn from them and avoid those things that caused the failure in the first place.
09.Modify your attitude
In most of the cases of failure, it was because of your attitude. Something was said about positive thinking. You must equip and surround yourself with positive energy. This is the best way to modify your attitude. Do not have a self-defeatist approach, rather approach the business or the venture you undertake with a winning attitude. This will imbue you with the correct energy which you need to succeed. When you run into obstacles, a positive attitude will help you evolve solutions to the problem.
10.Ask for assistance
You can ask for assistance and help from others when the need arises. If you do not have a comparative advantage over the business, you can ask for assistance from those who know better. They may have the solutions to the problem you are facing. When you are asking for assistance, ask from people who know. There are lots of online resources that can help you today with every information you require about anything.
11.Learn how to Delegate
You must not do everything yourself including those you know how to do and those you do not have the expertise. There is the need to outsource or delegate some of those responsibilities to the experts who know better and more than you. These can help you to do the work better and avert failure.
12.Focus on learning
Focus on learning. Nothing learned is a waste and you need to apply the new knowledge or new skill to your business.
13.Picture Barriers
In any human endeavor, there are bound to be barriers. You should not expect that things will go smoothly from the beginning to the end. Because of that you must expect some barriers and visualize where those barriers would come from and think of the possible ways of dealing with barriers. Many people fail because they do not envisage and plan for barriers that they meet on the road.
14.Take deep breaths
Take a deep breath and reflect on what you are doing. After a thorough reflection, it may be time to re-strategize your plans. If there is any need for you to adjust your goals, then you can do that. At this time, you need to re-evaluate what you have done so far to know whether it is in line with what you want to achieve.
15.Don’t be a shame
One of the greatest assets of failure of shame. Do not allow yourself to be shamed or to be bullied. If you are shame, then you lose focus and the effect will be disastrous. It is good to have your plan and implement the plan. If you think that the plan is not working, then you can rework it and to feel the shame of your plan or your actions. Do not be afraid.
16.Work as a team
Two or three heads are greater than one. Because of that if the goal you are pursuing is achievable by a team then it is necessary to work as a team to achieve that objective. There has to be a division of labor and let the team debate and decide on the issue. When there is an obstacle, a divergent opinion must ascertain the best way out of that problem. The team can perform better than one individual.
17.Concentrate on what you can manage
Most importantly, do not overburden yourself with what you cannot achieve. It is better that you concentrate only on what you can manage and manage very well. You can achieve success when you do those things you can manage and leave those areas you cannot manage. If there is the need for outsourcing of responsibilities or hiring other experts to help out, you can do that.
18.Deal with the process, not the final result
It is the process that drives the result. Therefore, you must ensure that you get the process right because that can help deliver the kind of goal you have envisaged. If the process is not right, do not expect a good outcome. Remember it is the mean that justifies the end. The mean is those processes you put in that determine the end which is the final result.
19.Cognitive-behavioral techniques
You can also depend on cognitive behavior techniques in solving problems. This ensures that you understand the problem. It helps because everything you do and every action you take is well thought of. You are not influenced by any outside factor. Decisions and actions are based on what is available on the ground.
20.Make a Strong Plan
The beginning and end of any project start with the plan. Because of that, it is recommended that you make a strong plan. A strong plan is one that is verifiable and that is achievable. Think about all the processes and actions you will take in executing that plan, then you are going to succeed.
21.Avoid overthinking
Overthinking can be destructive and it can affect your health. Overthinking is not what you need at this time. Concentrate on formulating and articulating a plan that can deliver a reliable and good result. If you get into overthinking, chances are there that you become confused and mess things around. This is not the way to succeed. Overthinking can lead to failure.
22.Build Your Self-Esteem
Before you can succeed, you must first have confidence in yourself. You must first have confidence in yourself and your ability. If you do not have the confidence or self-esteem, others will not believe in you and in what you do. Already they have seen the signal of failure in you since you do not have the required confidence and self-esteem to succeed.
23.Create a Talents List
Make a list of what it takes to succeed. In any kind of business or endeavor, there is always a list of what experts in that aspect are supposed to possess. You can make a list of that and know how you can depend on that list you have made for yourself to succeed.
24.Act on today
For any action you can take today, there is no reason to postpone it till tomorrow. Procrastination is a lazy man’s exercise and that is one of the reasons for failure. Solve problems as they arise.
25.Learn Biographies of Those You Respect
There is something interested in people. Even those most successful people you can think of. It was not all roses for them as they have to overcome different challenges and obstacles on the way to success. Perhaps you can learn from the resilience of such people by reading their biographies and learn from them.
26.Modify how you think regarding failure
Furthermore, change the way you think about failure. Failure is not a disease and you learn that you can fail before you succeed. It is an opportunity to learn more and achieve more.
27.Practice patience
Patience is the right way to overcome challenges. Do not be in a hurry to take or to reverse your decisions. Allow time to play out to know whether you took the correct decision or not. Allow time and that means that you must practice patience.
28.Research further at the sense of failing
If you research the cause of failure it will help you to avoid failure in your current task. Even if you think that you are not meeting your goals or your expectations, you can still research to find out the reason for that. The solution to failing is finding the cause or reason for failure and avert it. This can change the cause of what you are doing and you can achieve a better result in the process.
29.Ignore perfectionism
Perfectionism may be an illusion, or it can be a state of utopia and you must ignore it. Achieving one hundred percent perfection is not possible is not easy. The important thing is to set your goal and have a plan towards achieving that goal. You can attain that. Do not allow perfectionism to confuse you.
30.Prevent from catastrophizing
Measure you put in place to achieve success can also help in preventing catastrophizing. This might be one of the worst stages of failure but when you are failing in achieving your target then you can re-strategize and adjust the parameter you set.
31.Have a Preventive Strategy
Just as you have a plan to succeed you should also have a preventive strategy in place. You should visualize obstacles and have a plan to prevent the obstacles and consequences that come with them. If you work out an effective preventive strategy it can prevent failure.
32.Initially, you could fail, and that’s awesome
Many successful people will tell you that they fail in their first and even second attempts. Failing in the first attempt is awesome and it can help you to work out your way. You will learn from your previous failure and apply the lesson you learn to prevent future failure.
33.Simplify the problem
Before you embark on any project you must have your plan or strategy for success. In the same way, when you visualize the problem you could likely encounter, you should simplify that problem and plan how to deal with it squarely.
34.Know that Failure is Temporary
Failure would occur and you can see it as a temporary setback. It should motivate you to succeed. If you fail, learn from the failure and strategize how to overcome failure in the future. It is a temporary setback that only prepares and motivates you for the future tasks ahead.
35.Imagine your destiny
See the project you are embarking on as your destiny. See it as if your life depends on it and because of that, you must be very careful in the way you execute the plans you have on the ground. See it as your last chance and give it the best approach.
36.Stay in the present
Do not allow the past failure to hold you down. Stay in the present and have a good plan to deal with the situation you meet on the ground as you plan your business. Let the past failure by bygone only that you should learn from it.
37.Following The Heart
Follow your heart but ensure that your heart does not mislead you. The heart should be those studies and research you have done about your project. These are the goals and strategies you mapped out that will take you to the level you want to attain.
38.Try new things
There is nothing bad about trying new things. You cannot grow by doing only the same thing all the time. New things could offer you the opportunity to grow more and transform your business with new ideas.
39.Stop looking at your inbox to start the day
Before you start your day, you should have your plan. It does not mean that you have to be looking elsewhere for a plan. Do not look at your inbox for what you will do. This could confuse you.
40.Know your enemy
Your worst enemy is the fear of failure. These are those factors that motivate you and which prevents you from taking action to solve your problems. Anything that is holding you back is the enemy and you should avoid them.
41.No one is great all the time
No one is great all the time and that means that nobody is successful all the time. You should not expect to be successful or great at all times.
42.Have faith in yourself
You should have faith and trust in yourself before you can succeed. This is very important. If you do not have faith and trust or self-confidence and self-esteem, failure will happen.
43.Avoid Thinking about the opinions of other people
Think about others opinions when you are doing your research and formulating your strategies. Whatever you worked out should be your guide and that means that you do not have to think about the opinions of other people when you have reached that stage.
44.Know that you are not always going to win
It is possible you could lose but you always strive to gain. You should know that you are not always going to win. If you fail most of the time this is where it becomes a problem. You can fail occasionally. It is permitted.
45.Visualize yourself doing what you fear
When you visualize yourself doing what you fear, it gives you the positive energy to overcome that fear.
46.Find something else that motivates you than your fear
Several things motivate you except fear and you have to find them out. The aim is to overcome fear and do those things to motivate you to succeed.
47.Take fear as an ‘experience’
You require experience in life to succeed. The best experience you can get in life is a failure and the fear of failure is part of the failure. Since experience is the best teacher, you will overcome it and plan your way towards success.
48.Find the fine critics
Critics are important and they can help you to reformulate your strategies. It has to be only fine critics that can assist you.
49.Act like an entrepreneur
Think and act like an entrepreneur. You should have all the plans and strategies adopted like entrepreneurs to succeed.
50.Transform Failure to Fortune
When you adopt all these positive attributes, you can easily transform your failure into a fortune. It is easy to transform failure into fortune when you learn from your past mistakes.
