Are you afraid to fail?

Gain momentum by taking action

By Michelle Whitenack
NH Mirror Contributor

What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

Would you write a book? Start your own business? Make changes that would allow for greater balance in your life? Sail around the world? Learn to fly?

Take a moment and give yourself permission to dream about the possibilities while you consider what would bring you increased fulfillment.

Before you read on, fill in the blank in the following statement:

If I knew I could not fail, I would ____________________________________________________!

Once you know what it is you want to do, determining how to get from where you are now to where you want to be can feel daunting. Have you ever stopped yourself from doing something because you were afraid you wouldn’t succeed? If you answered “yes,” you are in good company. We can undermine our own success when we fear failure.

Fear of failure is a common phenomenon. Experts write about overcoming the obstacles to success with topics such as “feeling the fear and doing it anyway” and “increasing confidence.” What obstacles stand in your way of doing that one thing you would do if you knew you could not fail? Maybe you don’t have enough time? Money? Do you want to do something that would take you outside of your comfort zone?

If you are holding off on doing something that you want to do, consider a few steps to gently expand your comfort zone. These steps may not take you all the way to where you want to be, but a few good first steps may help you develop the momentum it takes to move past your fear of failure and toward your goal.

Develop a clear vision.

What do you really want? Allow yourself to dream. Start by closing your eyes and imagining what you want to do. What does it look like? Sound like? Feel like? Incorporate as many senses as possible into your vision. Take time each day to focus on your vision and imagine your success.

Increase your odds of success.

Can you think of a similar situation where you feared you would fail, yet you did succeed? What have you learned from the past successes that you can take forward into new situations? Gather your cheerleaders. Who can you turn to for support?Acknowledge that everyone has the power to achieve their dreams. Success is not only for “special people.” Success comes from desire and commitment.

Take action.

To get from where you are right now to where you want to be requires only one step at a time. Fear of failure is immobilizing. Action gives you the power to change circumstances. Even if every step is a small step, keep moving. And keep your heart and mind open to great possibilities!

Michelle Whitenack, M.Ed., CHES is a career and development coach and owner of Career Spark. For more information, call 244-8489 or visit www.career-spark.biz.