Fear of Failure

I’ve just been asked to do a last minute national radio interview in the morning. My first time for live radio. It’s in my area of expertise and a topic I am comfortable with and have a strong opinion on. Even so, when I looked at the line up and the people I would be speaking with, there is an Innovation Expert and a person with multiple PHDs (at least that’s what I’m telling myself!)  and me. My inner voice had a few things to say, “What have I got to offer?” “What value to do I bring?” Then I pictured myself saying something stupid and screwing up.

Only this time and for a long time now, I catch the inner voice, smile at those images and then replace them with better ones.

​​​​​​​“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new”, Albert Einstein

As parents we do the best we can. There is no doubt we will screw up at some time or another. The question is what might you NOT do because you think you might screw up?

It can be perceived as bad to have a fear of failure. It’s worse when you fear your fear of failure. By making fear of failure your friend, you get to hang out together and who knows, you may find yourself in new territory.

I’ll be hanging out with my fear of failure tomorrow and giving something new a go. Join me?