I’ve met many people who talk about fearing failure. Some discuss this in terms of their family and the lessons they learned growing up; some talk about feeling anxious when they must perform, whether at work or in their personal lives, without a “safety net;” others fear the disappointment, sadness, frustration, or even ridicule, that may accompany failing at something.
There are two ways fearing failure may affect us. In the negative sense, sometimes people fear failing to such an extent that it immobilizes them. Instead of energizing themselves to try something, they are so wrought with fear that they can’t move at all. On the other side, some people fear failing and it motivates them to concentrate harder, work more diligently and effectively, and ultimately succeed. Most successful people in our society fear failure, but use it as a motivator. They don’t like or want to fail, and so they avoid it at all costs.
How does the concept of failing affect your life? Does it motivate you or scare you to death? Let me know.
Dr. Rick
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Fear of Failure
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from Ryleigh
ReplyDeleteI'd rather call the failure word "valuable learning experiences"
I don't think it motivates me, nor scares me to death. It's a great reflection tool.
jafabrit said
ReplyDeleteIt motivates me.
buddhaofhollywood
ReplyDeleteI just set my expectations really, reaaly low.
If you set them low enough you will never fail!
Ryleigh
ReplyDeletehmmm I am having troubles finding the exact wording i want to use.. but this is what i think.. I think people are more afraid of the preception of the failure, more than the failure itself. In the end, people are just scared of what others will think of them.
rmaxwell142
ReplyDeleteI really don't think I can "fail" in life. Sometimes, I'm afraid I can't rise to certain challenges or I will make mistakes. But that just motivates me to work harder.
agapelife
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ryleigh. Also view failures as stepping stones to success? Failures Make you appreciate your success even more! Checked your blog. Mine is
empower-you.blogspot.com
robinj
ReplyDeleteThe difference between a weed and a flower is a judgment a perception just as failure is a judgment a perception based on each individuals expectations. So you have only failed if you percieve yourself as having failed me I prefer to believe I have just walked through a life lesson bringing me closer to awareness and understanding of who I truly am.
agapelife
ReplyDeleteYes, that too! Some of the greatest thinkers and inventors have had a series of "failures" and thank God they never gave up, so now we have electricity, phone, internet and all the other inventions that have enhanced our lives!
mrwolf
ReplyDeleteI never think of failure in my actions, if I'm dedicated to a course of action I don't bother myself with "what ifs". Not that I haven't failed but if I do then now I know how not to do it and change my course of action accordingly. Also like Ryleigh says most people fear the loss status more than failure. It's that necesity to maintain an image that prevents them from action or doing more in life.
Theresa111
ReplyDeleteI believe it is normal to have these inner fears of failure but it takes a strong individual to rise above this deer in the headlight feeling and decide to stand up and give life another shot.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTheresa111
ReplyDeleteI believe it is normal to have these inner fears of failure but it takes a strong individual to rise above this deer in the headlight feeling and decide to stand up and give life another shot.
saiffarooqi
ReplyDeletesuccess and failure are relative terms ... it is important to understand the true meaning of success and failure. it is important to know the things that hold value for us and the things that don't. we may fail in the eye of others, but it may not be necessary that we see that as a failure for ourselves, because after all we are the ones who know better that what is important for us and what is not. if we fail in something that is not so valuable for us then there's obviously no need to worry about it, because it was simply not valuable enough ... so, if we understand the things that are valuable for us and the things that are not, then i believe it will help us to take both success and failure in a much better way and also enable us to cope with fear of failure.
Theresa111
ReplyDeleteI believe it is normal to have these inner fears of failure but it takes a strong individual to rise above this deer in the headlight feeling and decide to stand up and give life another shot.
blindfoldthemoose
ReplyDeleteI've not heard that particular quote before. I'm assuming that plays the idea that just because you didn't pull off what you were trying to do you still gained a valuable experience? Or something like that? I could agree with that.
I can say that as someone who was naturally talented at things in school, I gained a fear of messing up. When I got something wrong, it was noticed because it was unusual. The fear was less of failure and more of a damaged reputation as a result of failure. A stupid fear, but that's how a lot of these things are.
coming to the question ... fear of failure affects me in both ways ... it motivates me to do better and work more efficiently, but at times it makes me avoid a whole task in order to escape failure ... but one thing that i have learned from my past experiences that it is better to try and then fail rather than not try at all and think that you could have failed, because it helps in assessing our strengths and weaknesses and gives a better understanding for our future endeavors.
ReplyDeleteThese are all great comments! I too have an issue with failure, I don't like doing something i'm not good at so often it's hard to try something new but I try not to let it stop me. Though it seems silly now I have a story about junior high school. I wanted to try out for cheerleading and went as far as going to tryouts, getting dressed, then I chickened out and went home. I regretted it for years. Though it's really not important anymore, it still bugs me that fear of failing kept me from trying out, I always remember that when i'm up against any challenge.
ReplyDeleteCarmen