Many people have a deep-seated fear of failure. It’s human nature to avoid taking risks because we’re afraid of the consequences. Yet, this is the exact fear that is holding you back from succeeding in life and business. If you’re unclear on how to move forward, or playing too small, you could be feeling stagnant, or “stuck.”

Today we’ll discuss how to overcome that fear and uncertainty. Here are some ways to get unstuck so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals. 

Find Out What’s Holding You Back

If you’re feeling stuck when it comes to what you want, there’s a good chance you’re filtering yourself. That could look like one of two things. Either you aren’t getting to the root of the problem, or you know what it is and there’s an action you could take — but you’re psyching yourself out. Do you lack the skills you need to complete a project? Are there other people in your life who are holding you back? You know the answer. But you’re keeping yourself stuck in your comfort zone rather than doing hard things.

The first step is to acknowledge those feelings and to get under why they are coming up. With intention, you have the decision on how to move forward from there. When you figure out what’s stopping you from progressing, you can create a plan. Dividing a big goal into small steps is a good way to make a daunting project feel manageable. It allows you to develop the skills you don’t have, or to find an alternative approach. It also allows you to ask for support with things that are not in your zone of genius. Plus, you’ll gain a new layer of accountability. Surround yourself with a support system of people you trust as well. Venting about what’s coming up for you will help you process those emotions. Getting feedback from your friends, family, and mentors helps put everything into a different perspective as well.

Once you understand what’s holding you back, it’ll be easier for you to find solutions. 

Start With Small Changes

Sometimes, it can feel like the world is against you and that you’re not making any progress in life. Even if your business is doing well, that doesn’t mean it’s immune to problems. Running a business is challenging on an emotional (and sometimes physical) level. But regardless of what’s going on in your business, it’s crucial to step back from work every once in a while. You’ll be able to recognize what’s happening from a bird’s eye view, rather than feeling overwhelmed while you’re in the trenches.

1. Take a few minutes each day to reflect on your feelings and actions. When you take to do something that makes you feel good about yourself, you’re more productive when you sit down to work.
2. Find a place to relax, like the park or your backyard. You can also find some quiet time inside if that’s all you have available to you. Schedule a few minutes of downtime every day so that you can recharge your batteries. 
3. Think about what ‘s been bothering you, and re-frame it. Are you terrified of failing? Thomas Edison failed over 10,000 times while inventing the light-bulb. You didn’t fail. Instead, you found one way that didn’t work. Are you feeling like something or someone is holding you back? You have all the control in your life. How can you clear the obstacle that thing or person poses to your success?
4. Once you’ve identified the problem, think about ways that you can mitigate it. If needed, seek some help. Talk to friends and family, hire a coach, or get help from your mentor.
5. Take care of yourself. Eat healthy, exercise every day, and let your body rest. When you feel overwhelmed or stressed out, your mind and body need time to process everything.
6. Write a plan for what you’ll do to get unstuck. Follow it every single day so that you can build habits that will help you reach your goals faster.

How To Deal With Fear Of Failure

Everyone has a fear of failure. It’s a natural response to the unknown, but it can hold you back if you let it. There are different ways to get over your fear, and some are more effective than others!

1. Embrace Failure 

Through self awareness, you can learn from tough situations.  If you don’t succeed, learn from your mistakes-even if it’s for future endeavors.  

2. Manage Negative Self Talk

 Don’t let your fears control you! If there are things that could happen as a result of taking risks, make sure you’re prepared to deal with them. That way, you’re prepared to deal with the outcomes – even in high-pressure or stressful situations.

3. Create a Plan of Action

To reach your goals, you need to make sure that you’re not guessing about how to achieve them.  For every risk or nerve-wracking situation, create a plan of action. You’ll know exactly what steps to follow to be successful. Setting yourself up for success takes a bunch of pressure off your shoulders at the moment.

4. Seek Advice From Others Who Have Been There 

If possible, talk to people who have been through similar challenges. Learning from others who have been in similar situations before eliminates simple mistakes. It’ll make your own journey easier going forward, even if you only know what to expect. 

How To Get Over Yourself So That You Can Succeed!

If you’re beating yourself up over a mistake, give yourself a break! Don’t let mistakes in your business or uncooperative clients hold you back. Instead, use these experiences as learning tools. You’re always going to be your own worst critic. Judging yourself too hard keeps you feeling small and stuck. 

1. Assess How Far You’ve Come

When you’re stuck, it’s easy to focus on the negative and get down on yourself for messing up. Instead, think about where you were when you started your business. You’ve come so far since then. So realize that even if you messed up, you’re still making progress. 

2. Get Back On The Horse

What’s one thing that you can do to improve the situation? Even if it’s sending an email or trying again with a new client, start somewhere. When you’re moving in the right direction again, you won’t feel as stuck. You’ll start to feel like you’re creating momentum instead.  

3. Ask for Help

Find a coach who is successful and knows your industry inside and out. They can give you advice on what to do next so that you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. You’ll create momentum even faster than you could by yourself. Two perspectives are always better than one.  

4. Look For What Went Well

If the situation didn’t turn out exactly the way you wanted, there’s always something that went right. Look for moments where things did right, and learn from those moments as well. You can learn from your mistakes and ensure that they never happen again. But, make sure that you’re learning from your wins and making them duplicatable. 

6. Stay Focused

If you are feeling stuck and get distracted, try to listen to your intuition. You can’t always control what’s going on around you. It’s up to you to make sure that you’re staying focused on your goals and creating momentum towards them.

Conclusion

Getting stuck doesn’t have to be the end of your business. It can actually be representative of the process you’re going through.  You may not feel like you’re making a lot of progress, and that’s okay. Especially if this is something you’ve never done before.  If you want results, you’re going to have to take risks.  

If you don’t know where to start, let’s talk about where we can move your business forward. Schedule your breakthrough call today!