achievement

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The Truth About the Fear of Failure and You

Ain't Scared of Spiders

I ain’t skirrd

The dread Fear of Failure can strike at any age. And it does.

The rumor is that everyone has it. Can’t escape it. We’re all stuck because of its paralyzing effect. It’s an ever-present ogre hiding in the dark corners of your life waiting to dash your dreams to pieces should you even think about chasing them.

Eh, kinda. It’s no where near as powerful as you think it is, when you look at the guts of it. Shall we?

Try on a comment like this:

“So, yeah… uh, I was doing that thing we talked about and then all of a sudden this other thing happened. I never saw it coming. I was so sure we were going to win. I thought we had this locked up! This freaking sucks! I’m sorry, man. I’m sorry I failed you. This is so embarrassing. Probably would have been better if we hadn’t even tried it. We never would have won anyways.”

The source of fear in this example is easy to see if you know what you’re looking for.

What’s so damning about that comment? The answer has nothing to do with actual failure. You were not born with the fear of failure. Continue reading →

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Doing Your Best: A Translation for Perfectionists

How would the outcome of the American Revolution have been affected had George Washington sulked, pouted, and licked his wounds after he and his army were ousted from New York City in one of the largest battles of the American Revolution—the Battle of Brooklyn? Hmm.. Instead, in hindsight, that battle became a turning point…

Though it was the Colony’s first encounter with a newly reinforced and refreshed opposition, Washington’s expectations were never sullied. And though he always demanded his troops’ best, he was not a perfectionist because he understood what his best was—having had extensive wartime experience—and how his best differed from the best of his troops.

At the same time, he did what most perfectionists can’t. Continue reading →