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Why People Can’t Overcome Their Fear of Failure

Posted on August 31, 2011 by M. A. Tohami | CATEGORIES: confidence, self improvement

You probably agree that the #1 reason why people can’t pursue their passions is MONEY. It takes time to find a way through which your passion can replace the secured paycheck.

However, there is another equally important reason.

On the surface, you can call it the fear of failure!

However, there is a much deeper and critical aspect of your fear of failure, specially when it comes to pursuing your passion.

It doesn’t hurt that much when you fail to achieve an average goal that you’re not so emotionally attached to it.

But when it comes to your passion and what you’ve put your heart in, it looks like there is no comeback.

Peter Buffett brilliantly put it in his book ‘Life Is What You Make It’ when he said, “If, in the many facets of life at which we are destined to be average, we come up a little short, so what? But if we fail at the thing by which we define ourselves and at which we hope to prove special, that’s serious.”

What Gives The Fear of Failure Its Dominating Power

When you fail at what you’re passionate about, it hits your hopes, identity and aspirations in a killer spot.

At least, that’s what most people think.

They play it safe, because failure is not acceptable on the passion level, as it can kill their last hope!

Fact is, it never happened in the history of success that failure ended the game. The game is over only when you decide to quit. (You can read my story of the greatest failure in my speaking career and you’ll understand what I mean.)

Now, you might wonder from where you can get the motivation to overcome your fear of failure or comeback after you fail in your pursuit of passion.

How to Overcome Your Fear of Failure

I believe the only thing that can help you bounce back is your purpose in life.

It is what holds you tight and strong.

It is the reason why you’ve been down this path in the first place.

And as long as the reason that touches your heart and spirit still exists, then you will always find the motivation to try one more time…

Why?… because it is worth it!

Your life’s purpose solidifies your self esteem and confidence in a way that even failure can’t knock you down. With a clear purpose in life, you become GROUNDED!

Remember, failure never ended the game for any successful person. If you’ve a clear purpose in life, then you’re safe and resilient against the killer hits of failure.

Do yourself a favor and be purposeful today.

M. A. Tohami is on a mission to help unfulfilled professionals find their purpose and  live with passion. If you’re interested, visit his blog and get 3 FREE chapters from his book, The Pharaohs’ Code – Amazon’s #1 bestselling motivational book on May 19, 2009

Don’t Forget to Follow PickTheBrain on Twitter!


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  • http://www.fredtracy.com Fred Tracy

    This is a very important insight.
     
    We have SO much wrapped up in our identities. The more important something is to us – and our identity (ego) – the more likely we are to be fearful about doing badly in that area.
     
    This is why I really advocate watching our thoughts as much as possible and minimizing the need to keep that . Identity going.
     
    I think combining that method with keeping in line with our life’s purpose as your articles suggests will lead to overcoming the fear of failure for good.Thanks for the article. :-)

  • http://www.clintcora.com Clint Cora

    That’s a certain shame associated with failures as one perceives that others will see people who failed with less respect.  Of course, this is not necessarily true and even if it is in some cases, one should not be detered since the naysayers are probably those who fear failure just as much.

    Learning from failures can only strengthen one’s position for the future.  I have failed many times even in the activities I’m most passionate about but learned from them to enable to make me better at what I do now.

    It’s a tough one to swallow so one will have to keep the faith and realize that all successful people have failed many times.  

  • Allen Tate

    I agree with Clint. There’s a certain stigma associated with failure. I also secretly think (well, I guess it’s not a secret now) that people want you to fail because your success makes them feel like a failure and they want you to stay on their level.

  • http://www.facebook.com/desiree.sims Desiree Sims

    One thing that I have heard that has made all the difference in relation to failure is that there are no failures .. only results.  That statement has helped me go full throttle after my dreams. 

    Best Regards, 
    Desiree Sims
    http://www.desireesims.com

  • http://www.planetnaveen.com Naveen Kulkarni

    Tohami,
    You raised a very important point there. Fear of failure.

    In fact this reason holds back people from realizing their full potential, achieving what they are really capable. Fear of failure brings non-existent monsters in front of your eyes which can be frightening at times. But, a self motivated person can focus on his goal and achieve his dreams.

    I remember someone’s wisdom words “Obstacles are frightening things you see when you take off your eyes off the goal “.

    Nicely explained. Thanks for this post

  • http://ridethetempo.com Tiana Feng

    Thanks for this article :) really needed it lately

  • http://www.martinthemindreader.com Martin Mendler

    right on; fear of failure is actually fear of a crushed ego. A crushed sense of identity. I actually wrote a post on this a couple of days ago so it was fun to get another perspective on it.

    In my own life, use a snowboard analogy to go around these tendencys. In snowboarding like in anything else, you have to make mistakes and fall if you’re gonna improve, and you have to go faster than you’re used to to make those mistakes. Thinking like this really helps me take action although I’m afraid and say “fuck it”

  • Dibbie

    should age stop you on your quest, as I have since circum to the fear of failure. Courage has brought me to try again at early 30′s. What is the general concensus.

  • Anonymous

    “The instant you accept “The Now”, no matter what it is, there is no wastage of energy, the energy is “Still” because it is not being wasted and that is Happiness or Joy”

    “Joy and Happiness – is the Stillness of Energy”

    “Energy is still when there is acceptance”

    http://www.DoingYourDreams.com

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