Fear of Failure, Fear of Success “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never As we entered into our current recession, we are intrinsically driven to be competent, to have tried to succeed.” Theodore we were aghast at the cancelled contracts why wouldn’t success always beget more Roosevelt and defaults of payments by our clients. success? We succeed in a social context Many companies have failed and filed and how others view our success plays The fear of failure is often one of the most bankruptcy. But others, like Success an enormous role in how comfortable we paralyzing phobias. Very often people do Magazine, have stood the test of time and feel with our achievements. With doubt not achieve their goals as a result of being diversified, strengthened their client bases comes anxiety, with anxiety comes the incapacitated by the fear of failing. We and grown stronger in this new economy. loss of relaxation, and with the loss of are terrified to take risks because we feel relaxation comes a whole host of muscle we will let others down if we don’t achieve tensions and mental rigidities that have the goals we set. The fear of failure prevents been the downfall of every athlete from us from being justly free and successful. the sandbox, to the schoolyard, to the No matter what our venture, being able to Olympic finals. take risks is essential because the person who risks nothing, does nothing, has We can all remember the Super Bowl XXV nothing, and will always feel unfulfilled. when the NY Giants defeated the Buffalo The greatest obstacle to success is the Bills 20-19 after the Bills placekicker, fear of failure. Success builds character Scott Norwood, missed a last minute but failure reveals it. Each time you fall field goal wide right. Scott Norwood is and make a mistake you must learn from “The greatest mistake you can make in the perfect example of fearing failure and your errors. Error provides the feedback life is to continually fear you will make fearing success—and look where it got that points the way to success. If you fear one.” Elbert Hubbard him. Just think about how we remember failure you give it power over your future. that game—not that the Giants played Failure is the tuition you pay for success. Accomplishing permanent change, and great, but that Scott Norwood choked We gain wisdom through failure. getting what you actually desire in life, and missed his second field goal. takes an unrelenting vision for the future. At the beginning of the year, you probably That vision serves not just as an ongoing “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of created your business plan and your source of motivation but it helps you fear—not absence of fear.” Mark Twain vision for the future of your company. identify and deal with the obstacles that Increasing your sales, restructuring your have held you back until now. These The secret of success in life is to be ready business, starting a new business venture, include fear of failure, such as doubts about for an opportunity when it knocks. The eliminating procrastination, improving your own value for success. And if you’re surest way not to fail is to determine your public relations, generating additional like most people, they also involve fear of and prepare to succeed. Fear is the only income…..you’ve made lists of goals and achieving the very things that you seek. To thing holding us back from achieving our intentions for the year. You can have a create and sustain success it is essential to wildest dreams. clear vision, develop a strong business find and release your fears of success. and marketing plan, outline key actions to “Success is never final. Failure is never reach your goals, and still fall short as long If success is subjectively such a positive fatal. It is courage that counts.” Winston as your fear controls you. feeling, why would anyone not want it? If Churchill 52 SUCCESS October 2010