Success and failure are two sides of the same coin. You may succeed or fail. It is up to us to overcome our stumbling blocks and stop being worry warts! You may be an aspiring writer and may not strike gold in your first attempt. All you need to do is persevere. Imagine if Sudha Chandran had given up on her dream to dance when she met with an accident and her leg had to be amputated. She eventually triumphed over her disability with the help of a prosthetic Jaipur foot and became one of the most acclaimed dancers in India. Most of us may fall or stumble. What matters is you should not forget to stand up as there is always another chance. “The true measure of success is how many times you can bounce back from failure.” (Stephen Richards, author, film director & producer, self-help expert).
How do you bounce back from failure or how should you deal with the fear of failure? Here are a few tips:
1. Positive talk
Most of the time, your fear of failure is imaginary. You mind plays tricks with you by making you imagine certain things that in most cases will not materialize. If your mind tells you that you will not find a publisher for your books or writing, then retort by saying “I will continue to write and scout for publishers, no matter what.” Tell this to yourself in a bold and loud tone oozing with confidence. This will dispel the inner demons in your head. Positive thinking increases your self-confidence.
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2. Ask yourself smart questions
Ask your brain smart questions that help you to overcome your fear of failure. Ask questions like “What can I learn from this experience?” “How can I use this situation to my advantage?” “What should I change in myself to overcome my fear of failure?” These questions help you to analyze yourself better and bring forth a rewarding change in your life. Always remember that embracing failures and moving on gives you a fuller life.
3. Contingency plan
Have a contingency plan ready at your disposal. For example, if you have written a crime-based short story and you are not able to find a publisher then perhaps you should also attempt another short story of a different genre. If your Plan A does not work, make a Plan B or a Plan C or a Plan D. One of your plans may work.
4. Goal setting
Assign yourself small goals; this could be daily or weekly. Goals give direction to your life. Set a short story as your goal within a certain date. When you achieve the goal within the deadline, give yourself a pat. This is a great motivator to keep you going forward and also adds some discipline.
5. Change your perspective
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” Abraham Lincoln
Change your perspective of things. Look at your fear of failure as a blessing. Think of the times when you actually had fear but ended up with success. Also think of the times when you actually failed and view them as your learning milestones. This can be frustrating but it also teaches you to constantly improve what you are doing.
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[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Smitha-Abraham.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]I’m Smitha Abraham. I love traveling in my flights of imagination and use these flights to craft short stories and poetry. I am a budding writer from India. My passions are reading, creative writing, listening to music, learning new languages, meeting new people, getting acquainted with different cultures and traveling. Authors like Isabel Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, genres like magic realism, historical romance, and writing styles that are imaginative and flow effortlessly fascinate me. I love to unwind with a book curled up on a sofa or by gazing at the stars by the sea shore. I am a nature lover and spending time admiring the sunset and sunrise is relaxing for me.[/author_info] [/author]