💡 Fail on Purpose (Issue 596)
How to overcome a fear of failure (and procrastination)
I watched an interview with Willem Dafoe, in which he talked about deliberately seeking failure. For example, he mentioned trying to make a bad painting on purpose—intentionally placing yourself in situations where you can fail and see that it’s not that bad.
I’ve struggled with procrastination for most of my life, and I know it’s rooted in a quest for perfectionism and a fear of failure. Perhaps you’ve experienced this, too?
If you fear failure, you’re not alone. 31% of American adults are afraid of failure. 90% of CEOs agree that the fear of failure is their primary cause of distress (source).
I don’t think anyone wants to fail. But fearing failure becomes a problem when it holds you back from pursuing new opportunities, learning new things, and taking chances that could lead to greater success. It’s also a problem when it causes chronic procrastination.
However, you can intentionally pursue failure in somewhat safe ways to overcome a fear of it. Of course, don’t immediately leap into chasing a risk that could lead to a disastrous outcome if you fail (e.g., investing your life savings in Dogecoin). Start small and enjoy playing with failing.
Yes, I know that sounds strange. But I’ve done that in my life, and it works! I took safe risks and let myself fail repeatedly. The more I failed, the more it lost power over me. I no longer cared as much about failing. Instead, I was proud that I was trying crazy new things!
Eventually, I took more significant risks, like quitting a stable job, starting a solopreneur business, founding a startup, getting on stage to talk in front of thousands of people, and more.
Does that mean I always succeed? Of course not! I’ve failed many times (e.g., my tech startup failed). But, because I took risks, I also succeeded and reaped the rewards of taking chances (e.g., having the freedom of running my lifestyle businesses for the past 14 years and escaping the 9-5 grind).
So, if a fear of failure is holding you back, start small with some safe risks. Let yourself fail and explore the feeling of it. Shake it off, laugh about it, and recognize that failure means you had the courage to try something new. You should feel proud!
Keep building up to more ambitious and scarier ways to fail. Realize that you can survive those failures too, and, eventually, you will lose your fear of failure.
It will no longer have power over you, and you just might kick your procrastination habit, too.
“Fortune favors the bold.”
— Publius Vergilius Maro
I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who works with you to optimize your career, business, and life. My mission is to help you become a more "Invincible You" so you can live your life on your terms instead of being controlled by someone else's rules. I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.