Have fear to fail? Being afraid is something natural. It does not represent a symptom of weakness nor is it necessarily an anticipation of defeat.
In reality, fear is healthy, it fulfills an adaptive function; It has contributed for centuries to the survival of human beings, making us avoid danger.
What happens is that fear can have another side, much more negative. The fear of failure can be stripped of its rational component and focused on situations that, from an objective point of view, are not really dangerous. This type of irrational fear can be disabling in our daily lives.
What psychological factors influence the fear of failure?
We are all afraid of failing, but the problem arises when this fear becomes irrational, unfounded and difficult to control.
Among the factors that contribute to irrational fear of failure we find:
- Low self-esteem
- Having too high expectations
- Dependence on other people on a daily basis
- Perfectionism
- Excessive self-criticism and feelings of guilt
- Constant need for other people’s approval
What is atychiphobia?
The unjustified and persistent fear of failure is called atychiphobia. It is the most extreme case of fear of failure. People who suffer from it cannot bear the thought of making a mistake without panicking.
It is a phobia that, as we have pointed out above, can represent serious limitations for the person’s life.
7 tips to manage the fear of failure and overcome it
Set realistic goals
One of the causes of exaggerated fear of failure is establishing goals that, objectively, are not within the person’s reach. You must set realistic goals and make this a habit.
The ideal is to have goals that can represent a challenge for you from your current moment: not too easy, but not extremely difficult to achieve. This way you can motivate yourself, continue moving forward and clear your doubts about failure.
Setting unrealizable goals is a sure ticket to frustration, failure, and inaction.
Evaluate the situation objectively
Try to size the risk without exaggerating. You will see how, if you think about it calmly, the probability of success is not as low as you anticipate.
Relativize failure
Failure is not the end of the world. It is a possibility that should not cause us anxiety. You must be aware that you can fail and try again until you achieve success. In fact, many people do.
Don’t think in terms of black and white
Neither success is extraordinary nor failure is a disaster in itself. A failure can be full of nuances. It can mean learning to keep trying. It is nothing more than part of a process.
Beware of exaggerated levels of self-demand
Being self-demanding can be a positive quality until some limits are crossed. Very high levels of self-demand can be harmful and affect our health. You have to find balance to achieve well-being. Accept what your capabilities and limits are, allow yourself to fail and make mistakes.
Find a way to motivate yourself
Many times the fear of failure is related to a general lack of motivation. It is important to work on motivation, both the internal one in which we enjoy the activity and the external one in which we find a reward for achieving a goal.
Change your way of thinking
If the idea of failure lurks at every step and you can’t get rid of it, it’s time to stop and think and analyze the situation. Question the validity or meaning of your thoughts and ask yourself the real causes that prevent you from performing better. When you find the answer you will have located the specific reason for your fears and you will be able to move forward to solve the problem.
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