How Overcoming Fear Makes Your Life Better
In 1973, my mom and my aunt took me and my cousin on a two week trip to the Philippine Islands. Both of them, were sponsoring teen girls at the time through the Christian Children’s Fund (now ChildFund International) and they wanted to go visit the girls and see what their lives were like.
My mom had grown up in a very small town and only had a high school education at the time, but she (and my aunt) loved to travel probably to escape the misery of their marriages.
“If you’re afraid of failing, then you risk being stuck in your life. Everything you want truly is on the other side of fear.”
At the time of our trip, the whole town (pop. 5,000) was abuzz (or it at least seemed that way) and we even made the newspaper. I am sure at the time (early 1970s) everyone thought my mom was crazy to go to a foreign country, much less one that was in political turmoil, with parts bordering on third world status, including the parts where both girls lived. Couple that with two women going alone and taking me (age 5) and my cousin (aged 10) along on this journey, it was a bit adventurous, if not a little scary.
See fear never stopped my mom from anything and certainly not from this trip to another country. Fear never held her back in a life of personal struggles, later in life combined with major health battles. Fear never stopped her at the end of her life either.
Don’t let fear hold you back from a life worth living and chances worth taking! Life is way too short…
My 3 Tips to Overcome Fear of Failure
- Start by setting small goals — even the smallest win helps motivate you to the next goal. If you set your goals too high then your fear of failure will certainly crush your motivation.
- Think what is the worst outcome that can happen, then weigh that outcome in an objective process. Are you afraid to speak in public? What is the worst outcome… you forget your lines, people laugh, you pass out…. none of those are likely to cause your serious harm. Incorporate TIP 1 and start small with video recording yourself, then to speaking in front of a friend, then in front of several friends, etc.
- Get a friend to go along with you on whatever you are afraid of trying — sometimes not feeling alone gives you courage.
What is something you have wanted to do, but felt too “afraid” to even attempt it? Comment below and let’s cheer you on.
The goal should not be ‘to succeed or not’, but instead simply to try.
