Fear of failure is real.
It’s the dreaded phrase that keeps many people stuck, so scared of failing that they won't even try.
I can't tell you the number of times I hear "I'm afraid of failing."
Some things affect you the way you allow them to. Yes, I said allow. Because I believe it’s all in how you look at things. So, if you look at failure as a negative, something that makes you feel bad about yourself, that you didn't accomplish things in the exact way you wanted to, then this word will keep you stuck.
Just keep reading and you'll understand why I said allow.
Fear of failure is precisely that—actual yet irrational fear of failing. Some people experience anxiety and even depression due to this fear.
No one likes to fail, especially an entrepreneur, but for some, the thought of failing overrides their motivation to even start. Some will even move into self-sabotage (check out this previous blog post on Self Sabotage to learn more about it).
Every entrepreneur I know has experienced the fear of failing or at least thought about "what if I fail." It's human nature to feel scared or afraid to fail when we move outside our comfort zone.
Here are five signs you might be experiencing fear of failure:
You worry about what other people will say or think about you if you don't succeed.
The thought of failing has stopped you from pursuing your dreams or living the life you desire.
The fear of failing makes you question everything—your experience, knowledge, gifts, talents and abilities.
You don't want to disappoint people that are counting on you.
Even if you pursue something, you expect to fail. You even tell people, "This might not be a success,” as a means of lowering the expectation of others.

Are you ready to face fear head-on and overcome it? If so, practice these four things:
Acknowledge fear and own it. Admit that you have a fear of failure. Discuss it with trusted people in your life, maybe even a professional. You can't address what you don't acknowledge.
Identify the things you can control. What areas do you have control over, the things that outside forces (such as people, technology, etc.) cannot interrupt?
Determine potential obstacles. Identify them and take the time to plan how to overcome them in advance. Then, map out your process from beginning to end. This allows you to be proactive!
Begin to transition your mindset. See yourself being successful and winning!
I've never looked at failure negatively because I'm a "glass half full" type of woman. I mentioned the way you allow things to affect you earlier. What if you looked at the perceived failure as an opportunity, not a loss or a negative?
Ask yourself these three questions:
What did I learn?
How can I grow as an individual, or how can my company grow from this experience?
How can I turn the negative into a positive? Then list three positive things from your experience.
Every perceived failure can be an excellent opportunity to learn and grow!
I continually practice the power of positivity. I look at things as either I succeeded or learned. But I never failed in a negative way. I never lose. I either win or learn.
It's all in how you look at it.
I challenge you today to change your thought process regarding the Fear of Failure.
Need to walk through your process or learn how to turn "failures" into learning opportunities? Schedule a free discovery call--let's chat!
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