Fear of Failure

What if I fail?

The fear of failing – at anything – pretty much terrifies me. In fact, there have been any number of times when the fear alone has kept me from even trying certain things or really putting all of my effort into succeeding at something.

A lot of times, the advice people get when they’re trying something new or scary, or when they set a goal of some sort, is that to tell their friends and family as a way for that person to hold themselves accountable. That’s where another personality trait becomes an issue for me: I care too much what people think of me. Put the two together, I don’t typically tell my friends or family (at least, not broadly) about goals or new things I’m doing because if I fail, I don’t want them to know.

All this in mind, studying for my personal trainer certification and embracing even the idea of a totally different career path has me terrified because What if I fail? is floating around in my head constantly – and the consequences if I do are pretty significant.

The personal trainer certification itself I can handle. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s succeeding as a student. The part that scares me is then taking what I learn and applying it in my career and livelihood. This is a little strange because if there’s anything I’ve learned in the last five years, it’s that I’m also successful as a career woman. I’ve built amazing professional relationships, get along well with all lots of different kinds of people, and have always been respected and appreciated for my work ethic.

But, because this transition career-related, I’m also being very careful about who I talk to; it’s important to me to keep the job I have and stay in good standing, especially since I respect the company I work for.

So when I get the pesky little What if I fail? voice in my head, I’m practicing following it up with Stop it. You’re not going to fail.

I’m not going to fail.