Conquering fear of failure: 9 hacks

Nov 26, 2021

"All it takes to succeed is falling down 8 times, but getting up 9."

– Japanese proverb

Besides death and taxes, another thing that is inevitable to we human beings is failure. You can’t go through life without it.

These days as we stand up against tyranny. There is so much at stake; we don’t want to fail. Yet at the same time, we do face the fear of failure. So the key for our being successful in spite of failure is how you deal with failure.

Here are 9 hacks you can use the next time you and failure meet face-to-face:

Be persistent.

The more you persist in pushing through failure toward success, the more you believe you can achieve, growing in self-confidence. With each and every success won in spite of failure comes an increased sense of self-mastery.

Be patient.

You are going to fail; of that, there is no doubt. So be patient with yourself. And patiently persist.

Set smaller, interim goals.

One way to improve your success when dealing with a huge project or BHAG, is to set smaller, more attainable goals. It’s not that this will eliminate failure; it’s just that you will have scaled down failure a bit. And, with each small step you successfully take, you will be building up momentum.

Connect with your cheering section.

Surround yourself with positive people whom you trust who will encourage you when the failure seems insurmountable. Besides, no one has ever attained anything worthwhile without the support of someone else.

Change point of view.

If you consistently view failure in a negative light, that is going to make it tougher for you to not only confront your failures but to face future failures as well. So don’t think of failure as an enemy; think of failure as an ally. An ally who is helping you become that stronger, more resilient self who will continue to succeed in spite of failures.

Don’t label yourself as a “failure”.

This does no one any good. It’s a very poor mindset. With this mindset, you’re almost begging to become a victim. Don’t. It’s beneath you and your ability. But there may be times that you feel failure is you lot in life and success has lost your address. This is especially the time not only to connect with your cheering section but also read inspiring stories of successful failures.

Stand fast in your goals.

When confronted with failure, it’s easy to abandon your goals. Don’t. Not only are your life goals important to you and to your loved ones, but also you probably spent a good deal of time making sure that’s exactly what you wanted to do. So when you’re tempted to give up your goals, remind yourself of your “Why” – “Why” are you going through all this to reach your goals? Is it because you want to live like no one else? You want to provide a legacy for your family? You want to right an injustice? Whatever that “Why” is, hold fast to it, especially during this time.

Punctuate differently.

When we’re in the midst of failure, it can seem that failure has taken up residence in our house. Even though we know we have also had successes, the failures seem to overwhelm us. So when you find yourself feeling that your whole life has been one big string of failures, take the time to also remember your successes. Write them down. Then refer to them each time you feel consumed by failure.

Failure is temporary.

When you put #8 in play, this will help you get a perspective on failure. It will help remind you that failure is temporary. You will get through this, with the proper mindset and techniques. And you will succeed.