Fear of Failure Encourages Failure Itself

Lisa Franchi April 10, 2013

FAILURE. This is something that many of us are afraid to face. The word alone makes some of us clench up with horror! Fear of failure, like any type of fear, is the brain’s survival mechanism against a threat or potential danger. Turns out though, fear of failure encourages fear itself.

In research conducted by the California Institute of Technology, scientists analysed why some people are able to succeed in many challenges while some don’t, despite the big reward waiting in the end. For the study, the researchers invited a number of people to their lab to undergo brain scan while they perform a computer-based task that could actually earn them money. Their goal is to make sure that the virtual ball land on a particular place using their index finger that is attached to a tracking device. For every trial, each participant was offered between $0 and $100.

As most of us would expect, participants who were offered higher rewards will pursue even better to succeed in the task while those offered with $0 or perhaps less than $10 will not take it seriously. That’s because we know that performance usually depends on the reward or financial incentive people expect to get. For example, children who obtained high grades in school are often awarded with scholarships and other monetary rewards, and top-performing employees are expected to receive bonuses from their employers.

But the study findings were surprisingly different. They found that when the reward for success is small ($10 or less), participants, on average, were very successful. On the other hand, when the reward for success is big (say $100), most people chocked under the pressure. Shocking right?

Failure Begets Failure

Why? The scientists had the very same question. So they peaked into each participant’s head and examined what was going on in their brain while they perform the task. When the participants were told about the reward, a region in their brain, called ventral striatum becomes active. As expected, the higher the reward, the more active the ventral striatum becomes. But the striking part of their investigation was this – when the participants started performing the task, those who knew that there’s a bigger reward if they nail it had a reduced activity in their ventral striatum. Meaning, the bigger the reward, the lesser the activity in the said area during the actual performance.

What could possible went wrong? There’s only one possible answer. The participants were afraid to fail. They were afraid about losing the money they might receive! Because of their fear of failure, their performance has gone poorer, a fact that made them fail in the task.

See? Fear of failure begets failure. So why would you be afraid to fail? After all, it’s the best way to learn and improve your performance!

Overcoming Fear of Failure

Eliminating fear of failure is however, something you cannot do overnight. It takes time and sheer determination. So to help you out, here’s a list of what you should do:

1. Identify the root cause of your fear. Was there a time in your life that people laughed at you because you failed? Were your parents too protective that they don’t want you to try new things and commit mistakes? If you are going to remember those events or difficult situations as if you are not a part of it, you will feel that it has nothing to do with you really. After all, past is past. You can’t change it. But you have full control of your future!

2. Make it simple. The more you simplify things, say your work or studies, the easier they become. And when you find a task easy, the more chances you’ll succeed on it.

3. Understand that failure is inevitable. Even the best leaders in the world have gone to several episodes of failure. Failing is as natural as breathing. Being fearful about it will only increase your failures in life.

4. Failure is equivalent to success. The best thing about failure is that it provides us an avenue to strive harder and do better. It gives us an opportunity to learn from our mistakes and prevent the same mistakes from happening again.

5. Failure is only temporary. While lamenting on the cruelty of failure, it may feel like the pain is not going to fade away. But just like any other difficulty in life, it shall pass and the pain will subside (whether you want it or not).

6. Free your mind from negative thoughts. Negative thoughts are like steel plates that are placed in your head. Imagine how heavy they are! Negative thoughts, due to the discomfort they bring, can affect how you handle thoughts and emotions, a fact that makes you more vulnerable to failures.

7. Failure is not a bad thing. Failure may bring a big buzz in your ear but it isn’t that bad as you think. As mentioned, failing gives you an opportunity to expand your horizon and do better next time!

8. Face your fears! Act on it. Failure to learn from a failure results to bigger failures. You’ve got to give any challenge your best shot.

9. Focus on the now. If you worry a lot of about failing, you will never have a chance to enjoy your life at the very moment.

10. Improve your skills. One way to reduce the risk of failing is to constantly upgrade your skills and expand your knowledge. The more prepared you are, the more likely you will succeed.

To sum it all up – while it’s true that failure often makes us feel troubled, it is an inevitable phenomenon that is designed to make us stronger and better. Fear of failure only encourages failure itself so there’s really no point to be afraid at all. And although eliminating fear of failure can be a tough roller coaster ride, there are some things you can do to overcome it. From identifying the root cause, simplifying things and accepting that failure is normal, to changing your perspective, facing your fears, focusing on the ‘present’ and constantly improving yourself – you can defeat your fear of failure and get your way to success.

Dear Readers,

Are you or someone you know have troubles facing failures? What do you think is the biggest hindrance that most people encounter when trying to accept that failure is inevitable?

Share your comment below.