How to Overcome the Fear of Failure: Stop Overthinking

Failure can be terrifying. But, in many ways, it's also the ultimate teacher. We learn what does and doesn't work for us as individuals. We're working through our failures. So how do we remove that fear of failure as quickly and efficiently as possible? By focusing on actions rather than thinking about them forever without taking any action. Overthinking something is usually the primary reason for failing to take action — or for continuing not to take action for an unnecessarily long time. Fear of failure is one of those things that overthinking can cause you to hesitate and procrastinate on doing anything productive again. Here are a few ways to stop overthinking and start taking action instead.

Don't ruminate on the "what ifs" and "should haves."

At the heart of overthinking are self-criticism and a focus on the past. "What if I'd done this instead?" "Why didn't I do more research before taking this job?" "I should have known that would fail!" No amount of "what ifs" and "should haves" will change the past. All it's doing is stopping you from focusing on the present and future — which is the only way you'll ever get out of this cycle of overthinking. So, when you find yourself stuck in the past, try refocusing your thoughts on the present. What are your goals, and what are you working towards right now? What do you need to be doing now to move forward?

Remember, it's all right to make mistakes.

There are plenty of people who make mistakes but have managed to move past the fear of failure. Their stories make it clear. The only way to move on from the past is to accept what happened and try again. As the saying goes, you're never going to hit a target you're not aiming for; It means you're going to make mistakes — and that's all right. The only way to get better is to keep trying and moving forward. 

So, whenever you second-guess yourself, remember that making mistakes is normal and something everyone has done at some point in their life. What matters is what you do next — how you learn from the error and whether you take action to move forward or stay stuck in the past.

Take a minor step.

A big part of overcoming the fear of failure is getting back into the habit of taking action. However, it can be easy to get stuck into a pattern of taking on a large amount of work at once — and then becoming overwhelmed by the pressure, it puts on you. When you're in a situation like this, you're more likely to freeze up and fall back into the fear of failure. It is why taking minor steps towards your goal is essential. Whether it be writing your first blog post, attending a local networking event, or looking at what courses you want to take next. It's an excellent way to get out of the freeze and back into the habit of retaking action. Over time, you can increase the activity level you're taking again.

Commit to a deadline and hold yourself accountable to it.

Sometimes, taking action can feel like an impossible feat. Other times, you might be trying to break out of a rut of low-level procrastination — and putting off meaningful actions indefinitely. In these situations, having a deadline — even if it's loosely defined — can be a helpful way to hold yourself accountable for retaking action. For example, you might decide to take a certain number of steps towards your goal every week or month. Or you might choose to check in with yourself at a certain point and determine the next step you need to take. Whatever works best for you and your situation, setting a deadline and holding yourself accountable can be a helpful way to get yourself back into action again.

Reassure yourself that failing is a natural part of growth.

When overthinking and struggling to retake action, it's easy to put so much pressure and focus on the "what if I fail?" question. Unfortunately, it's also easy to forget that failing is a natural part of growth. To grow and evolve as an individual and a team or business, you need to be willing to take risks, try new things, and fail from time to time. The more you're able to put yourself out there, the more likely you fail — but it's also the only way you'll ever learn anything. So, whenever you repeatedly worry about the "what if I fail?" question, try to reassure yourself that failing is a normal part of growth.

Bottom line

There's only one way to overcome the fear of failure — to take action! If you find yourself stuck in a pattern of overthinking and not retaking action, try to refocus your thoughts on the present. What are your goals, and what are you working towards right now? What do you need to be doing now to move forward? 

And remember — don't worry if you fail. Everyone fails. It's how you use that failure that matters. Use it to learn, grow, and move forward toward the life and business you want.