Chris: Warning! We’ze about to get all biblical up in here! Okay, if you are not Christian or Jewish, this will still be applicable, just hang with me on it. I recently started on a ‘read the bible in one year’ plan and have read through Genesis and half of Exodus at this point. Man, talk about a fear of failure. These are biblical heroes that have an incessant fear of failure. They literally are talking to God, DIRECTLY, and have a fear of failure. Stubborn right? The summary, we are fallible. Want to read some examples of a fear of failure? Check out how Abraham feigned that Sarah, his infertile wife, was his sister TWICE in Genesis 12 and 20! Dude, he was told by God, “Go to Egypt! I got you!” What does Abraham do? Turn all chicken s@#t. Geesh! Does his son Isaac learn a lesson, not a chance. Check out Genesis 26 where he does the same exact thing his father did. Finally, and not to be outdone is Moses. This guy had everything going for him. He was rescued from certain death in Exodus 2, raised as an Egyptian noble and literally led by God, remember the whole burning bush thing. Yet, he does nothing but doubt and fear failure the whole time. Let me come across a burning, talking bush that is the incarnation of God, I may take a different approach than Moses.
Okay Chris, enough Bible! What is the point?
Here is my point … these people are considered biblical heroes. Since I am about 105% positive I am not a biblical hero, why should I be surprised that I have a fear of failure? Well, maybe I shouldn’t. Why deny your nature. Instead, accept it. Find a way to accept that you are going to be afraid of moving forward, give that fear the ol’ middle finger, and forge ahead! Okay Chris, I have my flagrant hand gesture in the air. Now what?
Take a Risk
I don’t mean play Russian Roulette or take the cinnamon challenge. No, I mean do something outside your comfort zone. Never had Indian food, try it out. I like the Shrimp Vindaloo. Never ridden a roller coaster, go for it! Get some liquid courage, and a few roller coaster enthusiastic friends, and hit up your local overpriced theme park. Never tried a particular activity like Frisbee golf, cornhole, lawn darts, a slip and slide, etc., try it out. Step up to the start line and unleash your Holy inept self on it! Who knows, maybe you have a hidden talent for foosball that was lying dormant in you all these years.
Make a Change
Instead of going home every Tuesday night to the same Stouffers family-sized Salisbury steak meal pack, go to some ballroom dance lessons, take bugle lessons, learn to speak Mandarin. There will be no better way to squelch the fear of failure than by learning and achieving at something new.
Go Bold
Not sure that Indian food or speaking Cantonese are in the cards for you. No worries. How about trying something else … like changing what you wear, who you engage on a daily basis, how you react in social circumstances? For example, if your co-workers go out every Thursday and you politely decline every time, don’t do it. Instead, get out there and show them that the weekend starts on Thursdays regardless of your age.
Bottom line: it took two posts to get to this point … Fear of failure is normal. It is intrinsic to our nature and difficult to overcome. It is when we decide to not let this fear guide us, but rather, rely on HOPE to light our path forward, that we truly begin to live the lives we were meant to.
This couldn’t be more timely. Although I have written a book, I do not consider myself “artistic.” I have never painted on canvas…until last night at Canvas and Cocktails where they walk you through it step by step. I was a bit out of my comfort zone, and the fear of failure was in the back of my head, but I did it anyway (with the help of a few cocktails). And you know what? It turned out really well. My husband was blown away by my masterpiece! 🙂 Thank you for the reminder. Next up is Zumba!