By Laurie Curtis – CPPC, CiPP, TIRF, LSRF
“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.”
~ J.K. Rowling
Fear of failure, large or small, is perhaps the most common feeling humans have – aside from the feeling of love. Since fear and love are opposite emotions, harness that fear by using your heart.
Our biggest fear is likely that we will be judged negatively if our actions fail.
A major source of fear comes from attempting to manipulate the outcome and avoid pain.
Be honest about our reason for acting, our intention.
Stay with the intention. Don’t project or make up an outcome to begin with. Move forward on your intention for the reason behind it.
We know, or have at least heard, that FEAR is an acronym for “False Evidence Appearing Real.”
When we operate from the heart, our intention and focus allow us to see what IS real. As we act on our deepest intelligence, fear of failure is not interfering. We’ve also likely heard, “Learn to fail, or fail to learn.”
Thomas Edison was told to give it up.
He stated that he hadn’t failed, he’d succeeded in finding 10,000 ways that didn’t work. His intention was to invent a lightbulb.
If he allowed fear of failure to lead his actions rather than allow his heart’s passion to create light, history would be very different. He also said he never did a day’s work in his life. It was all fun. It felt like fun, not work, because he was acting from his heart.
You may be thinking, what does the heart have to do with fear of failure?
When our systems are in coherence with our hearts, we can think rationally.
Alignment with core heart feelings boosts creativity, we rediscover hope, and we are resilient. New intuition arises. You are no longer relying on your ego. You are operating from your soul.
I utilize HeartMath coherence methods as part of my approach to clarity and realistic ease. How do you tap into your heart’s wisdom?
1. Sit very comfortably in a quiet place, away from distractions, where you could potentially even fall asleep when you first try this.
2. Be honest about what you are feeling afraid of failing at, and summarize this fear in one statement. Simply naming the fear gives you power over it.
3. Take three deep breaths, and it may help to place your hand on your heart as you drop the focus from your head to your chest area and slow your breathing.
4. Continue to breathe slowly and deeply as you cultivate the essence of a smile. Target your breathing as though you are breathing in and out of your heart.
5. Think of something or someone you feel warmth and affection toward. Some people choose a pet or a child who makes them laugh.
6. Feel the ease flow in and the anxiety flow out with each breath. Hold that affection for yourself; you’ve got this.
Laurie Curtis, CPPC, CiPP, TIRF, LSRF –www.curtisease.com
