Fear of failure is an Obstacle to Pursuing Goals

I recently was browsing through my booktitled “(anexceptionally engaging read, by the way!). and decided to analyze the quote. “People are afraid of failure, and that’swhy they very rarely take on something that is in their best interest orsomething that is their dream.” This isn’t some revolutionary, unheard-ofrevelation, right? We all know it to some extent.” Think about it. How many times have you hadan idea, a goal, a little whisper of a dream, and then… crickets? Not becauseyou didn’t want it, but because the “what if” monster has reared its ugly head? What if I try to start a side business andno one buys anything? What if the office mocks my request for a promotion? What if I take that art class and mydrawing looks like a toddler’s scribble? What if I start this blog (meta, I know!)and no one reads it? This fear of failure isn’t just an annoyingvoice; it’s a real lever at the door of our potential. It stops us from eventrying to do things that are explicitly good for us or deeply rooted in ourhearts. And here’s the thing: It’s not just aboutgrand, life-changing dreams. It’s also about the smaller, everyday things thatcould make a big difference in our lives. Asking for help, setting boundaries,taking a different route to work, trying a new recipe, and learning a new skill can all make a significant difference in our lives.These are all things that could be “in our favor,” but the fear of messingthings up, looking stupid, or “wasting” time can hold us back. So what’s going on here? We’re so terrifiedof a bad outcome that we completely shut out the possibility of a good one. Toavoid the discomfort of potentially tripping up, we’re choosing to stay wherewe are, even if it’s not where we want to be. But here’s a little secret: Everyone fails.Seriously. Every successful person you admire has a graveyard of failedattempts behind them. The difference? They didn’t let those failures definethem or stop them from taking the next step. They learned, they changed, andthey kept going. What actions can we take to overcome this? Reframe failure: Rather than viewing it as a catastrophic event, view it as a valuable piece of information. “Okay, that didn’t work. Why? What can Ido differently next time?” This isn’t a stop sign; it’s a workaround. Start small. Do you have a big dream? Breakit down into the smallest, most doable first step. Don’t want to fail whilewriting a novel? Just write one sentence today. Don’t want to fail yourpresentation? Just make a plan on the first slide. Embrace imperfection: “It’s better to bedone than perfect” is a mantra for a reason. Go out there, try, stumble, andlearn. It’s all part of the process. Think about the cost of not trying: What’sworse than failure? Imagine looking back years later and wondering "whatif" you had just taken that step. Regret is often much more painful than awrong step. This line from “The Wealth in the GreatKingdom” isn’t just an observation; it’s a challenge. It’s a call to look atwhat we’re hiding from ourselves because of fear, which is often much scarierin our heads than it really is. What is one thing you’ve been putting offbecause of fear of failure? Maybe today is the day to take just one small stepin that direction. Even if it feels like a stumble, it’s still a step forward. What are your thoughts on this? Let me knowin the comments below! Let’s overcome these fears together.