“If we take a risk we might fail. If we
don’t take a risk we surely will fail. The greatest risk of all is to do
nothing.” – Unknown Author
Why would anyone go through the process of setting and planning
goals and then not follow through? One possible answer is the rewards aren’t
sufficient enough to motivate you into action. Another probable answer is
procrastination has derailed or stalled you. The inability to act can often be
traced to fear, doubt, or the absence of a clear picture of the potential rewards
and consequences.
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And all
fears come down to these three main types.
1. External
Fear
Usually
caused by a specific event in your past, external fears are caused by something
outside of you. This is when someone fears something specific like flying,
spiders or the number 13. It is only triggered under specific instances when
you encounter what it is that frightens you. Because of the trigger, these
fears are easily recognized.
Most of
these fears are caused by some traumatic event in the past. For instance, if
you got bit by a spider at a young age, you might develop a phobia about them.
Your experience taught you to avoid them.
2. Internal
Fear
Like
external fears, these fears are also triggered by events outside of you. However,
internal fears are not specific to any circumstance and are due to internal
emotions. This can make these fears difficult to recognize.
Internal
fears manifest as fear of failure, fear of success, fear of rejection, lack of
self worth and doubt. Having a fear of failure can stop someone from starting
their own business, asking a person out on a date or starting a new hobby.
All of these
are different circumstances affected by one fear. Internal fears are dangerous
because it can make you think that this fear is just who you are. If you miss
it, these fears can really hold you back in life.
3.
Subconscious Fear
Other fears
are so internal to us that we develop beliefs around them. Subconscious fear is
similar to internal fears except subconscious fears are believed to be a part
of who we really are. Subconscious fears develop into limiting beliefs.
Limiting
beliefs filter how you see the world. An example of a limiting belief would be
if you think you’ll never find a job you like because every job you have ever
had was terrible. Limiting beliefs usually try to convince you that you are not
good enough to do something.
Because
they are beliefs, they are hard to recognize and eliminate. Realize beliefs are
not facts. How many beliefs have you had that you realized were not true? Sometimes what you think is true about
yourself is just an irrational belief.
Although any one of these 3 types of fears can cause you to become
immobile, it is usually the internal fears that create the most barriers to
goal achievement…
Common internal fears can further be divided
into three basic categories:
- Fear
of criticism, rejection, or exposure
- Fear
of the unknown
- Fear
of failure
Fear of criticism, rejection, or exposure is linked closely with
the need for social acceptance. People will go to great lengths to adopt a mode
of dress or a certain type of behavior because they fear criticism and
rejection of others. Fear of having an idea rejected continues to lose billions
of dollars for American business.
Fear of the unknown can also inhibit
achievement. Many times, our need for security (the need to feel safe) causes
us to be fearful in those situations in which we are not sure what is going to
happen. Our fear of what might or might not happen can cause us to keep from doing
those things we should do to bring us closer to our goals. One key to
addressing fear of the unknown is examining the possibilities and then weighing
them against doing nothing.
It is not unusual for a person to want something intensely, but
because of the fear of
failure, not even try to attain it. Whether it’s the president
who’s afraid to make a change in structure or the manager who is afraid to
develop a more competent, self-directed team, fear can be a major deterrent to
success. If you promote a risk avoidance mentality, innovation, growth, and the
entire goal setting process can be stifled. If mistakes are met with criticism
and/or punishment, people will be inclined to do only what they know how to do.
It will inhibit creativity and improvement. By not trying, people frequently
ensure failure—the very thing that they are trying to avoid. Fear of failure
has blinded many people from seeing opportunities.
Many
people view failure as a permanent, indelible, and negative state. It’s not
that at all! In fact, failure can be a very positive experience. Failure
provides an opportunity to learn. Any newly attempted endeavor invites failure.
The first time you try to ski you are guaranteed to fall. If you don’t fall you
haven’t moved or progressed. Without failure there is no progress. When you
stop failing, you stop learning. Failure is important to success if it is
viewed as an opportunity to learn. To change failure from a negative experience
to a positive phenomenon, eliminate those conditions which contribute to fear
of failure. Develop a culture in which individuals are recognized and rewarded
for innovation and creative problem solving.
“Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.” – Oscar Wilde
Have you
overcome any fears in your life?
Any ways that you deal with fears when you
encounter them?
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