Failure is inevitable no matter how hard you run from it. This doesn’t mean you should avoid doing anything you could potentially fail at. It can be hard to look at a challenge and dive in head first not knowing what the outcome will be. How do you recognize when your fear of failure is inhibiting you from living your life? What can you do to prevent your fear from overwhelming you? Here are a few ways you can identify when you are letting your fear affect your life and learn how to overcome your fear.
How Often Do You Try New Things?
When you are afraid of failing, you may turn to avoidance. You tell yourself that you are fine in your comfort zone, but your comfort zone may get boring after a while. If you avoid trying new things, chances are you have a fear of failure. When you are constantly avoiding new things, you are letting this fear take over your life. Ask yourself why you don’t want to try something new. Maybe you are afraid you won’t like it or won’t be good at it. This all indicates a fear of failure.
Do You Procrastinate?
Finding ways to avoid working on important tasks is another indicator that you have a fear of failure. If you are often waiting until the last minute to get work done, you may want to consider why. Why are you avoiding the task until you are practically out of time? This type of self-sabotage may leave you feeling intense amounts of stress and fatigue. This can lead you to avoid the task altogether. Your fear gets in the way of your ability to maintain a healthy state of mind, especially if you are procrastinating often.
If you find yourself avoiding tasks or trying new things, you may be letting your fear of failure get the best of you. Feeling as though you can’t get out of this cycle of procrastination and avoidance is normal. You don’t have to let this happen. There are ways to overcome your fear.
Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life
Recognizing when your fears are starting to take control of your life is the first step to overcoming your fears. Once you recognize how your fear is limiting you, you can start working on breaking free from those limitations and living a happier life. If your fear of failure is causing you to start avoiding parts of your life, try some of these coping strategies.
Think of all possible outcomes. For example, if you try new food at a restaurant, what are the outcomes of trying that food? You may like it, or you may not like it. By picturing all of the possible outcomes, you are able more rationalize your thinking and make a more informed decision. You are also able to recognize whether you are afraid of not liking it because of your fear or if you are more sure that you won’t like it based on your rationalizations.
Imagine the worst possible outcome. It is probably not as bad as your fear makes it out to be. Take the new food example. The worst-case scenario is that you don’t like the food. This doesn’t sound like the end of the world, right? You can just order something else. What is the worst-case scenario for writing a paper? You may get a failing grade. Failing an assignment definitely comes with higher stakes than not liking food at a diner, but it still isn’t too bad. You can ask for extra credit. In the worst-case scenario, you may have to take the course again. This might be upsetting, but in the bigger picture, it means very little.
Think positively. Of course, everyone says this, but by dwelling less on the bad outcomes, tell yourself that a good outcome is more probable. If a less-than-ideal outcome occurs, have a backup plan in place. Order your go-to dish if you don’t like the new food at the diner. If you don’t get the first job you applied for, try for another one. The trick is to not give up. Optimism will help you stand taller and feel bigger than your fear.
Talk to a Therapist About Your Fear
Talking to a therapist about your fear can be a great help in overcoming it. A therapist can be there for you, and they can provide the input you may not have thought of. You don’t have to overcome fears on your own. Therapy is a great way to analyze your fear and spot where you begin avoiding opportunities. Counselors and therapists work to give a low-stress environment to air out concerns and fears without judgment to strive for the betterment of your mental health.
Mindfuli knows how hard it can be to face the fear of failure head-on. By working with a therapist, you can learn ways to get ahead of your fear. You can develop strategies to let you live a happier life filled with new opportunities and adventures. Begin building a toolkit of strategies to overcome your fear. You deserve to live a life you are proud of and happy living. Don’t let your fear of failure stop you from reaching new heights in your life. Start working with a therapist today. It’s time to get in charge of your fear. For more information about our services, call us at (866) 973-4415.
