Fear of Failure – Allowed to Make Mistakes and Keep Trying

Creativity Killer #2, Fear of Failure

As I walk through the daily pieces of my creative business, some days come easier than others. Sometimes, I’m focused and on task and cranking things out. Then other times, I feel as though I’m slogging through mud while walking uphill in a snowstorm.    

What makes the difference? Why are my ideas exciting and energizing one day but overwhelming and unappealing the next day? What gets in the way of my motivation and kills my creativity? In this post, we’ll talk about the second of seven creativity killers and give ourselves permission to move beyond them.

What is fear of failure?

Dictionary.com defines failure as an act or instance of failing or proving unsuccessful or a lack of success.

So, a fear of failure occurs when the thought of being unsuccessful threatens to incapacitate our efforts and desire to make progress toward a goal. We simply no longer attempt to succeed. We don’t push through procrastination, and we stop trying things that we find challenging. (Here’s an interesting article from Psychology Today that will help you identify fear of failure in your life, 10 Signs You Might Have Fear of Failure.)

Fear of failure can feel like perfectionism (Creativity Killer #1), and they can be linked (if you want to read about Perfectionism as a Creativity Killer, read Perfectionism – Allowed to be Imperfect). Fear of failure is less about the quality of the project and more about an overall feeling of incapability. I don’t normally struggle with perfectionism. The little imperfections of a handmade product feel authentic to me and add character to the overall piece, but when perfectionism shows up in me, fear of failure is usually the cause. My fear tells me that my abilities can’t compete in a perfect, computer generated world and I have to be perfect to succeed.

Fear of failure shows up with an overwhelming urge to stay in the “safe” area, to withdraw from putting any effort forth. So, I know it’s present when I don’t want to try because I seriously doubt my ability to pull it off. I want to take the challenge, but I’m afraid I can’t do it.

What if my best isn’t good enough?

Sometimes, I’m tempted to withhold my best energy from a project because I doubt my ability to pull it off. Then, if it doesn’t work out, I have a reason to blame. I could have tried harder. Somehow, this is easier to accept than if I had given every ounce of energy and failed.

The funny thing? This mindset sets me up for failure before I even start. Can you see it? I give half-hearted effort and get half-hearted results in the name of trying not to fail.

How does fear of failure kill creativity?

Just like perfectionism, fear of failure starts and ends in our heads. It’s a space plagued by unchecked doubts in our ability to complete a task or finish something hard.

What if …

• no one likes it?
• it doesn’t measure up to standards or the competition?
• I spent all this time only to achieve nothing of worth?
• it’s not what I’m doing that’s wrong? What if it’s actually me and I really am incapable of success?

Moving past fear of failure and back into flowing creativity

Here are some ideas for pushing past your fear and clearing the path to your creativity:

• Choose courage. Yes, it’s a choice. Share your work anyway. Don’t wait until you are no longer afraid. Finish it and test it for real instead of in your head. Set a realistic deadline. Then, do the work.
• Ask yourself if you really want to go through life without trying this one thing, without giving your best. Chances are you fear failing in areas in which you want to succeed the most. The risks feel high because these areas encompass your deepest hopes.
• See it as a stepping stone in learning, identifying what didn’t work.

• Talk yourself through it. What’s the worst that could happen anyway?
• Do something hard that’s unrelated to show yourself you can do hard things. When I was younger, I convinced myself that I couldn’t run. I loved to exercise routinely but running was out of my reach. Finally, in my mid-30s, I decided to try. I set small goals and began training with intervals of walking and running. Within days, I ran the entire 5k route without stopping. Several years later, I run an average of 20 miles a week and train for two half-marathons a year with a friend. Running became a life lesson of proving my younger self wrong. I can do hard things. I can run, and every day I get out there and do it, I celebrate that victory.

Don’t let fear of failure take joy from the journey. In fact, it’s part of the journey. Don’t let it steal your creativity. You can do hard things.

Happy Creating!

And just one more quote … because I love them!