How to Face the Fear of Failure and Keep Moving Forward
Fear of failure can take an emotional toll. It can keep you from even trying. By practicing self-care and self-compassion you can find the strength to take the action, learn the things, and come out on the other side with new skills and experiences.
These skills and experiences will become the foundation of your journey towards your BIG Dream. You will look back and see that the fear you felt was just an indication of the growth you would experience after stepping forward with courage.
Fear Of Failure Is A Sign Of Growth
Often when we start something new, we feel unsure of our next steps and become afraid of falling on our faces. We wonder what people will think of us and what they might say. We put shame on ourselves for not knowing before we even try. (Or am I just talking about myself here? 
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This is a protection measure that we learned in order to stay safe within our environment. But guess what? You’re no longer in that past environment. You’ve grown and created your own environment in which stepping out of the boundaries a little is OK. Or maybe you’re just starting to create that environment for yourself. Either way, it’s time to push a toe over the line.
Do so little by little. Take it one inch at a time…maybe even just one millimeter at a time. Push the boundary until you need to rest and restore. Then take a nap or do something that fills you up and makes you feel safe.
Retraining yourself to stretch can be nerve wracking, so make sure you have some way to remind yourself that it’s ok, and as my client Deidre says, “I give myself some grace because this is HARD!”
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think that I should “just know” all the things and when I come upon something that causes struggle due to lack of knowledge, my mind goes into all the ugly things that I’ve heard over the years from people who “loved” me or were trying to “encourage” me with their negative input.
Self-Care Helps You Move Past Fear
When I feel this way, I remind myself that I’m just learning. It’s the FIRST time I’m doing something. And if it’s not the first time and I keep getting stuck on the same thing, there might be something deeper, something to work with a professional about. This is also an act of self-care.
Seeking professional help is not a failure…it’s a BONUS! Look around, all the professionals do it! NFL Football players have personal coaches for all kinds of things. CEOs have mentors, advisors, and coaches as well. Getting help is the best way to work through whatever is holding you back quickly.
You are WORTH taking care of yourself and providing the best environment for you to move forward with confidence and clarity. Your BIG Dream is counting on you and is patient and loves you enough to stand by your side as you work your way through the blocks and hurdles.
Setbacks Are Not Failure, They’re Lessons
When setbacks happen, it is time to rest, reflect, and recharge. Look for what’s not working and see if it can be fixed or just needs to be released back into the world for someone else. Maybe the rules of how you live your life need to be adjusted (they’re all made up anyway, why not change them?) You don’t always have to do things the same way. Try something different and see what happens.
Give yourself a break. Just because you’re an adult, doesn’t mean you should know everything…if anything, you’re more aware of all the things you don’t know, which makes life the wonderful adventure it could be.
Fear of failure doesn’t have to stop you. It doesn’t mean you’re not capable, it just means you’re stretching into something new. With courage, self-care, and the right support, you can keep moving forward and build the life you dream of.
Each small step forward counts, even if it feels messy. To help you see your progress more clearly and remind yourself of just how far you’ve come, I created the Accomplishment Record Template. It’s a simple tool to track your wins, celebrate growth, and build confidence as you go after your BIG Dream.
