When we're afraid of failing, we are less likely to take risks or try new things, preventing us from achieving our full potential.
The fear of failure is common in a business context because we are in competitive environments with pressure to succeed, making decisions that often have significant financial impact and the world is changing fast around us.
There are a number of things we can do to help overcome our fear of failure:
✳ Instead of seeing failure as a negative, reframe our thinking to see it as an opportunity to learn and grow
✳ Set goals that are challenging but achievable so we don’t set ourselves up for failure
✳ Don't be afraid to take risks, but we need to make sure they're calculated after considering the risks vs rewards
✳ If we’re feeling overwhelmed, let’s not be afraid to ask for help
✳ When we achieve our goal, let’s take the time to celebrate to help build our confidence
The fear of failure has often held me back. When it comes to running, I’ve not believed in myself. Last weekend when I took on my latest 50k ultramarathon, I decided to take calculated risks and pushed myself very hard. What was the worst that could happen … walk to the finish line ? As a result of overcoming my fears, I came first in my age category (Veteran Over 55).
So combating our Fear of Failure can reap big rewards.
If you have a Fear of Failure with your Risk & Compliance projects, SRC has the skill set and experience to help. Contact me to have a chat to see how I can help.
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