Friday, June 14, 2019

P-P-P-Paralyzed

Are you unable to make a decision or take a risk because you are frozen in fear? Don’t let fear drag you down.

The fear of failure can be paralyzing. It often seems easier to just accept the status-quo than shoot for something bigger and better. Your fear may rear its head in different ways. You may be reluctant to try new things, self-sabotage through procrastination, downplay your talents and accomplishments, or refuse to try something unless you know you will excel at it. But the good news is that you can conquer your fear and fulfill your career ambitions.

7 Steps to Slay the Fear-of-Failure Dragon

Step 1: Seek the source of your fear.

It may be helpful to look back in your past and see why you are fearful. Did you have an overly critical person in your life whose criticisms you’ve internalized? By understanding the root of your fear, you can gain perspective and challenge your fears.

Step 2: Redefine success and failure.

Instead of simply tying your goal to one metric (e.g., becoming a supervisor by April 2020), expand it to include learning more about your role and growing in it. You can still target that 2020 date, but by broadening your goal, you allow yourself to grow and learn, even if you don’t hit your specific target.

When you view failure as a chance to learn, rather than the end of the world, or proof that you are incompetent, you are able to handle it better and move on to take calculated risks in the future. When you internalize failure and say to yourself, “I’m incompetent,” you prevent yourself from moving forward.

Step 3: Set positive, not negative, goals.

Rather than having a goal to avoid a certain negative situation, reframe it as something you want to attain. Focussing on what you want to avoid is twice as mentally draining as focussing on something you want to achieve.

Step 4: Start small.

Set small goals that are not overwhelming. A few easy wins under your belt will boost your confidence and help you tackle larger goals.

Step 5: Get organized.

Create lists. What are the consequences of failing? Often, they’re not as disastrous as you’ve built them up to be in your mind. What ways can you mitigate the risks and increase your chances of success? What are ways you can deal with failure? What are the benefits of trying? What are the costs of not trying at all?

Step 6: Balance your thinking.

Find the positives rather than focussing on the negatives. One of the techniques you can use is the best friend technique. What do you think your bestie would say to you, or what would you say to them, if they were in your situation? We are usually kinder and more rational with our friends than with ourselves.

Step 7: Learn from your failures.

When something doesn’t go your way, ask yourself what you learned, how you can grow, and what the positives are of this situation? Then keep striving to achieve your goals.

Note: If you are living with chronic fear and anxiety, you may be suffering from a mental health concern. Talk to your doctor and explain what you are feeling, and get the help that you need to be well.

Sources: Harvard Business Review, forbes.com, mindtools.com

P-P-P-Paralyzed

7 Steps to Slay the Fear-of-Failure Dragon

You might be interested in