Don’t Fear Failure
Feeling Stuck?
3 Tips to Help You Make a Move
How many times have you wanted to do something bold only to talk yourself out of it later? We all do it.
We convince ourselves that there's not enough time, money, resources, experience, knowledge, support etc. so we stop pursuing the goal and settle back in with what we know. Perhaps you'd like to relaunch your career, start a business, or ask for a raise. Maybe you’re just feeling unfulfilled and you’re not exactly sure why.
This is normal. You are normal. It happens all the time.
Here’s why:
Our brain’s job is to keep us safe and alive. The brain sees anything out of the comfort zone as a potential threat. It will find a million ways to justify your safety and security, so it hits the brakes whenever something new shows up. Nothing’s gone wrong. This is totally normal.
Risk of failure. To the brain, failing could mean life or death so it draws you back into your comfort zone. We have trained ourselves to resist failure and we’ve also trained ourselves to avoid the feeling or appearance of failing. And honestly, failing can really suck!
Trying new things can trigger the inner critic which is very skilled at pointing out our insecurities. Everyone has an inner critic. One of my clients calls her inner critic “Judge Judy” and can describe everything about her, right down to her knee high pantyhose.😝 The inner critic constantly compares itself to others. It may say something like, “Sure that’s a worthy goal but you aren’t smart/attractive/skilled/wealthy/educated enough to do it. Look at so-and-so, they are all those things which is why they are successful.” Wrong. That “successful” person wakes up every day with their inner critic AND MOVES FORWARD ANYWAY.
👇🏻3 ways you can move forward:
Practice small ways you can get out of your comfort zone every day. Think of these small acts as daily exercises to build your growth muscles! It can be as simple as introducing yourself to a stranger or taking a new class. One of my clients got out of her comfort zone by painting her nails a bold color! As simple as it sounds, it was a small act that made her think differently about trying new things. Over time, she learned to embrace temporary discomfort and found immense satisfaction when she bravely pushed the limits of her boundaries.🙌🏻
Practice failing. Start by giving yourself permission to show up imperfectly. You’ve probably heard it said that “progress beats perfection every time” and it’s true. Successful people know that failure is not the limit of our abilities, it’s an opportunity to learn and grow. In fact, it’s where we grow THE MOST. When you start trying new things and accept failure as a potential and acceptable outcome, you will see one of two things happen: 1) you succeed or 2) you learn. BOTH ARE PROGRESS.
👉🏻DON’T FEAR FAILURE. FEAR BEING IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE NEXT YEAR AS YOU ARE TODAY
The best thing to do when your inner critic shows up is just be aware. Don’t fight it. Notice the critic just as you would notice a cloud that moves across the sky. Let it show up and then let it pass. No judgement, just mindful awareness. Say to yourself “isn’t that interesting, my inner critic is here again.” Simple as that. Don’t give it energy, just notice it and then let it go. ⛅
More than anything, love yourself. You’re worth it.💖