The Fear of Failure

Failure. It is a word that instantly brings a negative emotional and physical response even when we read it. Failing a test feels bad and failing a class can feel even worse. But failing to get into the college you want or failing to achieve what you want in life seems like the worst thing imaginable. It is this giant weight on you that you feel, starting from so young. Every day you feel the burden: the fear of failure.

What You Fear Most

There is more pressure on youth today about schooling and career choices than ever before. Colleges and Universities are so competitive. Most career choices require more education than ever before and are also very competitive, too. Meanwhile, just getting through high school seems impossible, especially if book learning is not one of your talents. What if you fail? What if you just can’t do it? Is your life actually over if you fail?

Our society is so focused on excellence that is measured in books and tests and degrees printed neatly on pieces of paper. Sometimes, those things really do matter. To have a career in certain areas, there are intellectual requirements. But you would be surprised at what you can accomplish in life even if you “fail” to measure up educationally. College degrees do usually earn you more pay in many fields, but the cost of college is so high now, that it is not even always an advantage anymore. 

The fact is that what you fear most may actually be an opportunity. “Failure” in school often leads people to careers they would not have otherwise have chosen. While it is ideal to have a plan for your life, you can be flexible and understand that failure isn’t a dead-end, it is the beginning of a whole new set of choices. Failing to achieve your ideal plan definitely does not mean your life is over. You might be surprised where failure can take you.

Paralyzed by Fear

Another problem with the fear of failure is that fear paralyzes you. It makes you unable to accomplish even the most basic of tasks. Fear can take over your entire life. First, you are afraid of failing at college and career, then the fear spreads to your social life and other activities, and before you know it, you are afraid to get out of bed or do anything at all. Because fear is not rational, and when you allow it to fester inside of you, it grows out of control.

Fear is supposed to be the way your body responds to actual dangerous situations. It is like an exclamation mark response to help preserve your life. When you start using fear for non-dangerous situations, your body cannot tell the difference between being attacked by a wild animal and that test you have tomorrow. So your brain and body react the same to a piece of paper as they would to a giant tiger, for example. This is very unhealthy for your body and can create long-term problems for your health.

Stop Feeding the Fear

You have control over what your body perceives as scary. If you tell your body you are afraid of failure, then you are more likely to produce failure, in big and little ways. Your mind is very powerful and will help you create in your life that which you focus on. So you need to stop spending so much time being afraid and start putting more thoughts and energy into being successful. This is easier said than done, but it can be done. You can find a program that helps you take control back of your mind and your fears. When you stop feeding the fear, you can start planning for success. 

Planning for Success

If you think you can, you will. It seems silly, but your mind really will help you find either success or failure, depending on what you spend the most time thinking about. When you replace your fear of failure with a plan for success, you have just made the most critical move in the game plan of your life. Even though it may seem like a giant mountain to climb, you can obtain success in your plan for your life by mapping it out carefully and taking one step at a time.

When you look at a mountain, the top seems unreachable. You might be too afraid to even step onto the path at all because you are so focused on what is so far away, afraid of failure. But if you focus on the path, you can succeed with every step. And every step leads you that much closer to succeeding at your ultimate goal. 

You have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t let the fear of failure get in the way of the success you deserve. You can achieve anything that you set your mind to do. If the fear of failure is what your mind is focused on, you can get help. You can free yourself from fears and replace those fears with success to ultimately succeed at the big goal: life. Reach out today to find a program that can take the mountains of fear and turn them into pathways for your success. You are worth living a carefree journey to success and happiness.

You can overcome the fear of failure and make a plan for your success. Call Embark Behavioral Health 1-855-809-0409 today.