Don't Be Held Hostage by Your Failure

 Failure has touched the lives of everyone at some point. Because of this fact, you know how horrible it can make you feel. No wonder you strive to avoid it at all costs!  But the problem is that this fear of failure can become one of your biggest life fears. Atychiphobia is the formal term for fear of failure phobia.  Apologies to those who suffer from fear of long words (ironically called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia).

Fear of failure is a fear of the great unknown. You don't know what's truly out there, and so you're scared. You might even be tempted to give up entirely to avoid failure. You'll soon realize that not trying at all is the ultimate failure because there is no way to win without trying.

 How can you overcome this fear and gain the confidence you need to seek the life you desire?

 Consider trying one or more of these action steps:

1. Imagine the worst-case scenario. Of course, you should spend time imagining everything turning out well, but it helps to imagine the worst-case as well. While horrible, imagining the worst-case gives your fears a face. Your worries are then no longer the unknown, and they may not be quite as scary.

When you figure out the worst thing that can happen, you just might realize that the most a failure can do is to delay your ultimate goal. But if you can figure out how to get past this possible delay, you're back on track!

2. Take bold action. The fear of failure can hold you hostage. When you take bold action, you're able to learn from your mistakes so you can continue moving forward. Moving forward, even with a small step, take a little power away from your fear.      

2. Talk to successful people. Ask them about times that they've failed or times that they've felt a fear of failure. It's likely that they were afraid too and that they've even failed greatly before reaching success. Knowing that you're not alone can be quite helpful.
3. Utilize affirmations. Use the help of affirmations in order to change your mindset about your fears. Affirmations can help you reprogram your subconscious mind so that you believe you'll succeed, which will encourage you to take action to make it happen.     

2. Know that you'll try again. Tell yourself that, if you're face to face with failure, you will pick yourself up and try again no matter how many tries it takes. Then follow your plan.

Don't Be Afraid Of Help

Since the fear of failure is so common, there are many people around you that you can talk to about the subject. You might feel like you're alone, but you're not. Discuss your issues with a trusted friend or use the services of a professional counselor.

Sometimes just having someone listen and understand you can make your fears seem like less of a burden. It can help you to get into a positive mindset, which is the first step you'll need to take in order to tackle your fear of failure head-on.

The Long Term

After you've mastered your fear of a particular situation, keep at it in order to stay on top of your fears. The key is consistency and positive thoughts. Remember that there are always lessons to be learned on your journey, even if you've failed. Keep at it, and good things will come!

Thank you for reading my blog.  Remember, soft skills lead to hard results!