Failure is the Key to Success – 3 Ways To Overcome Fear Of Failure

No person or company is successful at once. In today’s entrepreneurial world, we all face failure and it teaches us a great deal. 

Let’s put it this way – failure is an inevitable part of our lives and it points us in the right direction in the journey to success. 

But do we really handle failure that well? I guess we all know the answer very well.  It seems as though whenever someone fails at something, they assume that they did something wrong or that they are not good enough. Now, at times it may be true, but mostly it’s all about improvement and innovation. And that’s exactly what Elon Musk explains through his quotes for success. 

In this article, I will explain how the word “failure” always has a negative connotation and why it’s time to change that. 

Success is no accident. It’s a process that involves continuous hard work, learning, teamwork, collaboration, innovation, and most importantly, lots of expectations. And when things go south, we as humans experience a sense of shame and fear that we were not able to meet the desired expectations. This is the fear that further causes us to do nothing and resists us from moving forward in our career and life. 

Sure, so what should we do instead? How exactly do we overcome the fear of failure and use it to our advantage? – If that’s what going on in your head, here are a few ideas that you may like to try. Below, I’ve outlined some of the best ways to deal with failure on a positive note instead of getting frustrated or sad. Trust me! I’ve tried them all and they work quite well. 

1. Ask Some Powerful Questions 

When you fail, what’s the one thing that stops you from moving ahead? The answer is regret. That is what steals your sleep and makes you wonder what you should or shouldn’t have done. Now instead of sitting in regret, try asking these questions:

• What can I learn from this?
• What will I do differently next time?
• What do I need to improve?

2. Visualize What Worked and What Didn’t 

Once you identify the root cause of your failure, create a list that helps you visualize what worked and what didn’t work as per your plan. Doing this will help you get a more clear idea of where you went wrong and how you can avoid the same mistake in the future. 

3. Reframe Your Goals and Keep Improvising 

Since there’s no guarantee that you will succeed in your second trial, keep looking for ways to do things better than before. Find opportunities where you can improve your skills and increase your chances to achieve success. 

Conclusion 

You try, you fail, you pivot, and you try again - that’s what life is all about. 

Failing is always an option because the only way to succeed is to fail. So if you don’t learn from your mistakes and push yourself beyond the usual boundaries of innovation, you’re not on the right path. Keep working towards your goal no matter how difficult it is to achieve. And if you fail - try again, again, and again.    

What about you? How do you deal with failure at work? Tell us your stories and suggestions in the comments below!

Author Bio:

Vartika Kashyap is the Marketing Manager at ProofHub and has been one of the LinkedIn Top Voices in 2017 and 2018. Her articles are inspired by office situations and work-related events. She likes to write about productivity, team building, work culture, leadership, entrepreneurship among others and contributing to a better workplace is what makes her click. Follow her on LinkedIn.