Unhindered By FearSample

FEAR OF FAILURE

Bodybuilders use the phrase “lifting to failure” to describe the process of lifting until you can’t lift anymore—where muscles have been pushed to their limit, causing them to tear and grow bigger. Despite the pain, failure has the potential to make you the strongest you have ever been. 

Naturally, we often connect failure with a negative experience. Failing has the potential to make us feel embarrassed and ashamed, and when we make a mistake, we automatically identify ourselves as being a failure. With this mindset, it’s easy to believe our worth is connected to our aptitude to perform. 

Robert F. Kennedy once said, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” The fear of failure limits our ability to dare greatly and has caused many people to self-sabotage their dreams. This is often the result of identifying as a failure. But, failing doesn’t have to define who you are; rather, it has the power to refine you and make you better. If we allow failure to shame us, we lose confidence, stop trying, and eventually give up. But failure is a natural component in the process of achieving our dreams. 

In fact, Thomas Edison made 1,000 attempts at achieving his dream of inventing the light bulb. To onlookers, he appeared to be a constant failure at his craft, yet he never saw it from that perspective. Instead, Edison saw every failed attempt as a solution to the problem. In his response to a reporter who remarked about his failures, he replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” According to Thomas Edison, every attempt that ended in failure was a step closer to the solution. This mindset is empowering! 

We must be vulnerable to the experience of failure and see it as a catalyst to fulfill our dreams. The truth is, failure gives us the opportunity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive outlook and see beyond our present circumstances.  Recognizing our areas of weakness is actually an advantage because it helps us discover what needs to be adjusted in order to reach our goal. With this perspective, our failures will begin to build our weaknesses and turn them into strengths. 

Letting go of past failures and confronting current ones will empower you to be stronger. Don’t be overcome by failure and live in fear. Instead, allow your failures to build your weaknesses into strengths. Know that God will guide you to make the best decisions even when you fail. God is with you, picking you up and showing you the way. Be courageous and develop a resilience for failure as you become stronger in the pursuit of your dreams! 

Get the [F]ear out of Your Head

Today’s challenge: 

1. Are you afraid of moving forward with an idea, dream, or conversation because you’re afraid it won’t go as planned? Write down the past failures that have held you back or the failures you are afraid of making, and next to them write “I AM NOT A FAILURE” in big, bold letters.  
2. Are you feeling discouraged, like you’ve hit a dead end in life? Maybe you’ve reached a certain age and feel you aren’t where you thought you’d be by now, and it's making you feel inferior. Take time to evaluate these thoughts about yourself and write out a statement that will build your confidence. Recite it daily to remind yourself of the vision set before you.
3. Define a healthier definition of failure by redefining what success is. Write out your definitions and go back to them often to remind yourself you are one step closer to achieving your dream.