Don't Be Afraid of Failure

 

I think if I don't fail, or get rejected in life, I really am not putting myself out there enough.
 
Fear is learnt. When you are born, you learn fear to protect yourself e.g. from a burning hot pan... however you might also learn a fear of trying new things, or may develop a fear that hampers you from achieving your goals.

Quite often, even without realising it, we also avoid discomfort, that might stem from a fear of failure, or fear of not being good enough.
 

In tackling this:

Understand Fear

In understanding my fear, either through thinking it through, writing it down or even through reading widely, I can understand further where the fear is coming from. Understanding it fully, and rationalising it helps diminish the fear in my mind.

Help Change your Mindset

For example, grasping those uncomfortable feelings with both hands, and instead of recognising it as fear, re-frame it more positively, such as an exciting new experience from which you can learn so much. Look up case studies from those who have risen from adversity, of which there are many, many, stories e.g. JK Rowling on getting Harry Potter published.

Take Baby Steps
Think how overwhelming a problem may seem if looked at as one whole big problem, that scares you so very much, that you may try and shove under the carpet as you have no idea where to start. However, if you see a problem as many mini steps, making the first action a very easy small step, then you will have momentum on your side and continuing will be much easier. For example, a "career change" is one big word and move.

However it becomes much more manageable by assessing in the following way - Day 1: Find a jobs website with a list of every job that ever existed on it. Day 2: Select 3 jobs you like the look of, and for the first 1 find the necessary experience and qualifications for this job. Day 3: Begin researching qualification providers. In this example this may not be the best way to undertake a career change, however it does demonstrate how simple little steps towards a big goal can provide progress and be much more likely to result in success

Ultimately you know yourself best and know how you've achieved goals in the past, and can employ these similar techniques in future. Remember that your fear is self imposed, created in the mind, and therefore can also be overcome in the mind.
 
 
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by each experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) American columnist, lecturer and humanitarian.