The Fear of Failure

The greatest hindrance to success is the fear of not succeeding. Fear of failure is strong enough to stop an endeavour before it has even started. It’s impossible to estimate how much further advanced our society would be if it were not for the “what ifs.”

Blind and unfettered enthusiasm, though, is not the answer. Excessive, uncalculated effort is not the way to counter fear of failure. One is not the opposite of the other.

All effort should be taken to avoid failure – and that applies every bit as much in the emotional, personal world as it does in the commercial world.

A complete assessment of an opportunity or a possibility should include the lessons of the past, the wisdom of the present and the promise of the future. All three aspects are unique to the individual. Ignoring any one of them could be a recipe for disaster. There’s a lot of truth in the old adage “failing to plan is planning to fail.”

When it comes to making decisions about the direction our life should take it’s necessary to call on our inner resources…to use our minds and our scarred and dented souls, everything that makes us who we are.

That can be a daunting prospect…daunting but not impossible.

There are many times throughout our life that it becomes necessary to take a few deep breaths, step back from our situation, reassess and refocus. It’s a process that should never be rushed. And, for the sake of our mental wellbeing, it’s also a process that should not be avoided.

Which brings me to another old saying…”Failure isn’t being knocked down. Failure is staying down.”