How To Overcome The Fear Of Failure

One of the main reasons we fail, or think we fail, is because of our definition of what “failure” is.

To most of us, failure means not achieving the goals or dreams we’ve set for ourselves.

For example, on January 1st of each year, a lot of people set goals they want to achieve that year. And if they don’t accomplish them by that date, they think they’ve failed.

Sadly, because of this kind of attitude, most people fail before they even start.

In other words, they usually don’t have a plan and don’t take the necessary actions to make their goals come true. Instead, they simply hope and wish that someone or something will help them realize their aspirations.

Well, as you and I both know, that’s not how life works.

For the few individuals who actually have a plan and take the necessary actions toward achieving their goals, they may fail because (1) they have unrealistic deadlines, or (2) they give up too soon -- or both.

Believe it or not, if you allow yourself enough time, you’ll be able to achieve any goal you established for yourself, no matter how big it is.

Examine your list of goals and ask yourself whether you’ve given each one of them adequate time.

Some goals take a lifetime to attain, while others may require only a few weeks, or even days.

The main reason most people fail to achieve their goals is that they simply quit too soon.

They don’t persist long enough in their chosen field of endeavor, not understanding the universal truth that says…

Worthwhile Ambitions Always Take Time To Attain!

The people who hang on a little bit longer when encountering setbacks will eventually come out on top.

As I’ve shared with you in a previous article, it took Thomas Edison, the founder of GE, more than 10,000 attempts before he invented the light bulb. If you or I were in his shoes, imagine all the frustrations we would have experienced after 500 or 1,000 unsuccessful tries

Like most people, we probably would have given up after so many futile efforts.

But not Edison!

Instead of throwing in the towel, he looked at each “failure” as a learning experience, and he used it to help him take new and better actions toward accomplishing his goal.

After 9,999 unsuccessful attempts, a young reporter asked him whether he was going to have 10,000 failures.

Edison replied, “Young man, I didn’t fail. I just discovered 9,999 ways NOT to invent the light bulb.”

In short, Edition had a dream and he did whatever it took to make it come true. And now, as they say, the rest is history.

The next time you face adversity and get discouraged because you think you’ve failed, remember Thomas Edison’s story and you’ll be empowered.

If you were to adopt the belief that there’s no such thing as failure, that there are only results, you’ll try and try again until you turn your aspirations into reality.

Please keep this important fact in mind: Each time you do something; you’ll always produce a result. While it may not be the one you intended, it’s still an outcome that will give you a new insight or experience to do better the next time.

Gather your courage and strength and look fear in the eye and say, “I’m bigger than you. You can’t defeat me. There’s nothing you can do to stop me from realizing my dreams. No matter how many times you think you’ve defeated me, I’ll learn from each failure or experience and keep taking new and better actions until I’ve succeeded!”

As I’ve mentioned, a lot of people fail before they even begin because they don’t have a specific plan for turning their goals into reality.

Failure usually preys on the person who doesn’t know what he or she wants out of life.

If you haven’t created a plan for your life -- or even just for a month or a year -- then please do it right away. Without a plan, you could be drifting aimlessly everyday, like millions of people do, and eventually arrive at the end of your life realizing you’ve lived only a fraction of your potential.

Since this probably isn’t the destination of your choice, I urge you to design a plan for your life now and start heading toward where you want to go. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can get there when you have an effective roadmap for your life.

Another reason a lot of people fail is that instead of following their heart and dreams, they try desperately to satisfy other peoples’ needs or wants.

As the American comedian, Bill Cosby, said, “I don’t know what the definition of success is, but I know failure is trying to please everybody else.”

If you’ve been trying hard to please someone else, such as your parents, husband, wife, brother, sister, son, daughter, or a friend, I suggest you change directions and start doing the things you really want to do.

This doesn’t mean you’re selfish. It just means you’re living your life according to your beliefs and values, instead of somebody else’s. When everything is said and done, that’s what counts.

Since each one of us has only one life to live on this planet, and we don’t know how much time we have left, we should live to the fullest each day, following our passions instead of chasing after our pensions.

If you’ve been feeling sorry for yourself because you haven’t succeeded in achieving your goals, please realize that today is a new day to begin over again.

If you believe in yourself and that you have the power to achieve whatever goals you set, your battle is already half-won. You’re built to conquer fear, to solve problems, and to fulfill your dreams, regardless of what obstacles may stand in your way.

Difficulties will always arise in each one of our lives. You must deal with each adversity as it shows up and cope with the changes as you face them.

Although life is like a raging river with its ups and downs, how you handle the turbulence is what really counts.

Always keep in mind…

YOU Are Responsible For Your Success Or Failure!

If you choose success and take the necessary actions to achieve it, you’ll be blessed with success (whatever your definition of success is). On the other hand, if you select failure -- whether consciously or unconsciously -- you’ll get that as well.

As human beings, one of the greatest powers we have is the power to choose. So choose carefully and…

Make Your Life Memorable, Not Just Livable!