When failure becomes another’s fear
Stepping out of the so-called “norm” can be a stressful, worryful and opinionated time, one of risk and possible failure. Not just for the one making that step, but, for others as well.
Yes, you may begin to stress and worry, but, once you have taken the decision to take a leap of faith into the next stage of your life, things just seem to fall into place.
For others, however, the woes of failure take on an appearance and their fears get directed towards you.
I would say that this is only my experience (after deciding to leave my full-time job for a part-time one to realise my chosen career), but, it is not.
Everyone has an opinion.
And those opinions are based on beliefs and fears.
When you embark on your own path, you know you are taking a risk. So do others. And they reflect that in what they say to you.
“Is it the best thing to do?”, “Can you afford to do that?”, “Is it financially sound?”, “Isn’t it risky?” These are just some of the statements I’ve heard, followed by the well wishes of “All the best” and “Wish you all the best”.
Don’t misunderstand me; I appreciate the sentiment behind the words. It’s just that I recognise the fear behind it.
It’s a fear of failure.
As my wife has said, “Success is not the absence of fear, but, rather, your ability to overcome it”.
It doesn’t matter what we aim to do, at the beginning there is always a degree of fear; when you first went to school or a new school, your first bike ride, your first driving lesson, getting into the ring for the first time, your first marathon, the list is endless. For some they were exhilarating events, but, for most, fearful events.
Then you come out on the other side and the fear has gone. You don’t even realise its absence. It only existed before the event.
The only way you got over your fear is by facing it and dealing with it – riding the bike, going to the school, taking the lesson, finishing the marathon.
Failure is no different. It can be a massive failure or a small failure, the loss of a business or just your laptop not working when you’re trying to give a presentation (yes, it happened to me). But you move on and get on. You learn from your failures. Why did the business fail? Can it be avoided next time round? How? What other things can you prepare for?
But remember – nothing is perfect. Perfection is not possible. We adjust as we go on until we reach our target.
And all the while there will always be those individuals who stay in the life they are in, because, they fear stepping out of where they are due to the possibility of failure.
See the End
What the opinionated ones don’t see is the end, the other side of failure, which is what you should be seeing. When your goal scares you it means you are stepping out of your comfort zone. This is where growth happens, mentally and physically. It’s where you should be.
You see the end result and focus on that, because, that is all that matters. If we talk about vibration and “cause and effect”, by keeping the image of success in your mind and letting go of fear and worry, you will give your subconscious mind a direction it must follow and the universe will respond in kind, bringing to you the opportunities, the people and circumstances you need to make it happen. It’s the Law.
Fear cripples opportunity and makes you blind to what can be. A fear of failure can stop you in your tracks.
So instead of looking at this fear as a setback, look at it as a learning opportunity. Get excited, because, the next time it will be better.
Besides, what are your choices? Stay where you are or decide and choose to make a change for the better. What’s worse than looking back and saying, “What if?”. “What if I had actually gone ahead with that idea?”
Start now. You wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t willing to make that change.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston Churchill
You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space. – Johnny Cash
Photograph by Wallpaper Flare
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