Over the past few decades, the fear of failure, or atychiphobia, has become more prevalent throughout society. This fear is often rooted in perfectionism, and it leads people to doubt their abilities and avoid trying. The truth is, we must overcome the fear of failure if we want to be successful.
In this post, we will look at the reasons we fear failure, why the fear of failure is damaging, and some ways we can go about overcoming our fear of failure.
Why Do We Fear Failure?
While everyone who fears failure has a different reason behind their fear, there are a few main reasons that we develop an aversion to failing.
Extreme Criticism as a Child
In today’s world, we expect a lot from children. We expect perfect grades, perfect manners, perfect athletic abilities, etc. Overall, we tend to make them feel that failure isn’t an option, and that expectation leads to fearing failure even into their adult lives.
Unmanaged Anxiety
When a person with high anxiety doesn’t find ways to manage their anxiety, it can become more and more difficult for that person to do the things that cause them anxiety. The fear of failure can stem directly from a person’s unmanaged anxiety.
Perfectionism
As mentioned above, this fear is often rooted in perfectionism. Perfectionists fear being seen as less than perfect and failure actively goes against that portrayal, so they avoid failure to maintain the illusion of perfection.
Why is it Damaging to Fear Failure?
While it may seem like a good thing to not fail, the constant fear of failure is very damaging to a person’s life. Here are just a few of the consequences:
Underachievement
When a person fears failure, they tend to underachieve because they avoid challenging themselves. For example, they might stay in the same job for their entire career because trying to reach the next level up poses the risk of failing.
Missed Opportunities
Similarly, those who fear failing tend to miss great opportunities in life because they are scared it won’t work out in the end. This leads them to miss out on improving themselves, making new relationships, and advancing in their careers.
Less Creativity
People who actively avoid failure also tend to be less creative. To keep themselves from making a mistake, they follow rules and guidelines very closely rather than making adjustments to improve their work.
How to Overcome Fear of Failure
Redefine Failure
If you fear failure, typically you have an unrealistic definition of what failure actually is. To overcome your fear, you need to change your thinking. Commit yourself to viewing failure as an opportunity to grow, learn, gain experience and thrive. Remind yourself that failure isn’t permanent, and you can always improve in the future.
Focus on Your Strengths
Acknowledging your strengths can give you more self-confidence and help you use your strengths to address your fears. Knowing that you are capable and ready to take on challenges will make you feel more ready to confront the possibility of failure.
Plan to Fail
Make yourself fail. In other words, start a project with the intention of failing. Allowing yourself to fail can demonstrate that failure really isn’t something to fear. The more you fail, the more you’ll be okay with making mistakes and accepting challenges.
Make Challenges Less Daunting
If you find yourself putting off a project because you fear failing, break the project up into smaller, easier steps. Seeing a larger goal in smaller pieces can feel more manageable and you’ll be less likely to shy away from the challenge. When the fear of failure is holding you back, use these four steps to overcome your fear and begin living the life you deserve.
