Did fear of failure ever stop you from doing something great? Maybe you could achieve your goal, but fear becomes a hindrance.
To reach your goal and fulfill your dream, you must overcome your fear of failure.
Today, I will discuss the meaning of fear of failure, its effect on your life, and how you can overcome it.
Let’s start!
What does fear of failure mean?
Before discussing the definition of fear of failure, let’s talk about what failure is.
Failure means being unsuccessful in meeting desirable results. For example, suppose you’re sitting for an exam, and the pass mark is 60%. We may call it a failure if you get less than 60%.
Fear of failure is when you allow fear to stop attending the exam, thinking you may fail to achieve the pass mark.
What is the fear of failure definition?
By definition, fear of failure is the persistent and irrational anxiety of being unsuccessful in meeting expected standards or goals you or someone else set.
What is fear of failure in psychology?
The failure of fear is deeply related to psychology. When you fear failure, your mind doesn’t function the right way, and your behavior clearly shows that.
Following is a brief explanation of the fear of failure in psychology:
Is the fear of failure a phobia?
Fear of failure is a phobia because it develops an irrational and exaggerated feeling of fear. Of course, nobody wants to fail, but it becomes a phobia when it scares you too much.
What phobia is the fear of failure?
The phobia of fear of failure is called atychiphobia. It is assumed that approximately 2% to 5% of the global population has atychiphobia or fear of failure.
What is atychiphobia?
Atychiphobia is an extreme fear of failure. It makes you not want to do something when you are afraid of achieving desired outcomes. Due to the fear, people with atychiphobia often lead constricted life.
Is the fear of failure a good thing or bad?
Fear of failure is reasonable because it keeps you safe from adverse outcomes. But it is also bad because it stops you from trying something new.
Maybe you could have achieved something unique if you had tried. But the fear of failure will be a barrier to your success.
Is the fear of failure a mental illness?
An extreme level of fear of failure is a mental illness. That’s because it can make you depressed. Plus, atychiphobia often leads to anxiety disorder, frequent mood swings, and eating disorders.
Is the fear of failure a weakness?
Fear of failure can reduce your confidence in doing something. If you can not control your feelings, they may become your weakness.
But you can overcome your anxiety. So keep reading with me as I will discuss how to defeat the fear of failure shortly.
Is the fear of failure common?
Fear of failure is a pretty common human characteristic.
When I started this blog, I feared that maybe not many people would read my blog. But today, thousands of people read my blog.
It is common to have a fear of failure, but it also is essential to overcome the fear.
Do successful people fear failure?
Successful people also fear failure. But they are brave enough to accept their losses.
They become successful because they try, fail, learn from, and try again. Failing is common, but it’s essential never to give up.
That’s why Japanese Martial Artist & Author Morihei Ueshiba said:
“Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something.”
Is the fear of failure normal?
Although everyone may not face it, fear of failure is expected. But excess fear is not normal for anyone.
What is the abnormal fear of failure?
When your fear of failure reaches an extreme level, and you avoid doing anything, it becomes abnormal. An abnormal fear of failure can make us inactive in our daily life and prevent us from enjoying our lives.
What does fear of failure look like?
If you think someone fears failure, look at them closely. People with such fear will look nervous, sad, and unwilling to do anything.
Some physical symptoms of fear of failure are:
- Excess sweating
- Abnormal heart rate
- Chest pain
- Trembling or shaking
- Dizziness
- Digestive distress
What are the causes of fear of failure?
Various experiences in life can cause the fear of failure. It will vary from person to person.
Some of the most common causes of fear of failure are:
- Traumatic past experiences
- Learned from parents
- Tries to be a perfectionist
- People treat you wrong when you fail
- Genetic and biological reasons
Where does my fear of failure come from?
Fear of failure often comes from the feeling of worthlessness. For example, you may think you will be worthless if you fail at something. Such feelings can trigger the fear of failure.
However, fear mainly originates in the amygdala, a part of our brains that controls our emotions and stores memories of fear.
Why do we fear failure?
We may fear failure when our parents or our loved ones mistreat us when we fail. If you grow up in such an environment, you will always fear failure.
Besides, we also fear failure to avoid shameful or embarrassing situations. It can be different for you.
It would help to observe your behaviors and feelings to discover what is causing this fear. Knowing the root of fear will help you overcome it.
Why is fear of failure bad or good?
Earlier in the article, I said that the fear of failure could be good and bad. But when is it good and when is it bad?
Here’s what I think:
How can fear of failure impact motivation?
Fear of failure can have a negative impact on your motivation. When you fear failure, you will feel less motivated to work because of your anxiety.
How can fear of failure motivate you?
Fear of failure can also motivate you to do something in a better way. So as you fear failure, you will try to do everything you can to avoid failure.
This is a great way to make fear of failure your best weapon to achieve your goals. Whenever you fear failure, instead of stepping back, be determined to be successful at any cost.
How fear of failure affects learning?
As fear of failure negatively affects your mind, you will find it tough to concentrate on everything. As a result, it will make your learning process less effective.
How does fear of failure cause procrastination?
According to several researchers, when you fear failure, you will be less concerned about doing anything to achieve your goal and will always try to delay the work at hand. In other words, fear of failure can lead to procrastination.
How fear of failure destroys success?
Procrastination is fear of failure, which will prevent you from taking any action that can help you become successful in your work. As a result, you will never see the face of success.
Plus, even if you take action, fear of failure can destroy your success by making you feel stressed and less confident. In such situations, you won’t be able to use your full potential. That’s how fear of failure can shatter your chances of being successful.
Why shouldn’t you fear failure?
I have discussed enough unpleasant sides of the fear of failure. Do you need more reason to understand that you shouldn’t fear failure?
In short, fear of failure can make your life meaningless. So now the obvious question is how to overcome the fear of failure.
How overcome the fear of failure?
First, accept that failure is normal and you have nothing to worry about. If you fail once, you can try again to achieve success.
Here are five tips that I believe will help you to overcome atychiphobia or fear of failure:
- Identify the main reason for your feeling of fear and work on them.
- Make a list of worst-case scenarios and prepare for them.
- Intentionally fail sometimes to adapt yourself to failure.
- Try to adopt a positive mental attitude.
- Focus on your work to avoid negative thoughts.
How do you overcome the fear of failure in business?
To overcome the fear of failure in business, make yourself believe that failure is a part of the business. Every failure will teach you something you can use to make better decisions next time.
Plus, calm your mind and prepare your business plan more carefully. It may help you to avoid failure.
How do I cure my fear of failure?
If nothing works, you can take therapy to cure atychiphobia or the fear of failure. Cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy work pretty well in this regard. Doing regular meditation can also help you.
Conclusion
Lastly, don’t worry if you have a fear of failure. It is normal, and I believe you are strong enough to overcome it. So now, let’s defeat the fear of failure!
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