Let’s set the mood. You have a vision. It may have come to you in a subtle way, or it may have hit you like a bag of bricks. Either way, you have a vision that only you can see. To your family and friends, it may even seem random or possibly out of character for you. It may not be utilizing a skillset you have, or maybe it does, and you don’t have the knowledge base and/or finances to get started. What do you do with that vision? This is where things get can get a little complicated. Are you going to act on that vision or leave it as is… just a vision… a thought… a dream that you may believe is unreachable? Then, the fear of failure creeps in like an early morning fog. This is a pivotal moment because you are left with a choice. Do you submit to fear, or do you overcome it? Red or blue pill (Matrix reference lol)? Which do you choose?
Fear of failure is when you don’t allow yourself to do things that can push you to build yourself into a better person. It can make you undermine your skills and abilities to reduce your fear, but at the same time, you choose to dismiss everything you could be if you gave more. To add, the fear of failure can make you decide not to try it at all… just to avoid failure all together. With a fear of failure, you may tend to self-sabotage or have low self-confidence, but these are things you can work on.
Martin Luther King, Jr. stated “Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Your vision is the staircase, you just have to take the first step. When I first started 4 The Endorphins, if you read my previous blog posts, you know I had no idea what I was doing (I still don’t really lol). Yet, I decided to take the first step. I knew the end goal of 4 The Endorphins, but to force myself to get started, I decided to sell some t-shirts. Now, selling shirts isn’t the end goal, it was simply something to force me to get started. It forced me to get my LLC, to submit my trademark application, and to get a business checking account. It forced me to do a lot of things that would be utilized in the future of 4 The Endorphins. I was terrified though. The only difference in this case is that I did it anyway. Despite my fear of failure, lack of knowledge base, and my depression and anxiety, I started my own business.
There are some harsh realities that comes with your journey to bigger and better. It is impossible to avoid failure. It is a definite just like death is. However, it’s a matter of perspective. Either you can learn and grow from your failures, or you can dwell on them. Failure cannot stop you from becoming the best version of yourself. It isn’t a brick wall; it’s a door. It gives you an experience that allows you to be able to open that door and walk through it wiser and stronger than you were before. So, although you may feel inadequate in the moment, remember that Albert Einstein stated that “failure is success in progress.” Why would you give up now? Keep pushing.
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