Why am I too afraid …
Why am I too afraid. A question that you might find yourself asking. We can all be afraid of many different things. One thing that suffocates the spark of youth is the fear of failure, maybe even the fear of success. Fear is a toxin and a poison that is so detrimental it bleeds from one part of your life into another. You’re afraid to ask for that promotion and that leaves you feeling undervalued when you get home. When you get home, instead of going for that run, you eat a cheeseburger. This leaves you feeling upset with yourself and as a result you may push friends away. The fear of failure to get that promotion leads you to not ask. But, what’s this fear of success.
Maybe this seems like an exaggeration to you. Maybe not. One thing is true regardless of your situation. When you’re afraid, it seems like a mountain that is insurmountable. This makes you question yourself. I’ve found I question myself more and more. Sometimes, I answer and other times I come up empty.
The fear of failure is something I think is going to show itself in my generation, Millennials. We’re pushed so hard, by our parents, friends, or even ourselves. We can’t let our parents down. We don’t want to be a disappointment and everyone has seen that look from mom or dad. It doesn’t feel good to disappoint those who love us and support us so much. We push ourselves to keep pace with friends. Who wants to be left behind? We’re so scared of being left behind that if we can’t keep pace, we’re convinced we won’t make new friends. The hardest part is when yourself is the one you can’t let down. Is being afraid of failure worse than being afraid of success?
You can’t let yourself down because it will stay with you. Your friends will eventually forget. Parents will too when you make it up to them. But, only YOU know all of your failures and we hide them from others. We’re so afraid of failure it makes us scared of success. We’re so scared to succeed because what if we can’t replicate it again. We succeed only to fall short the next time.
Why am I afraid. Why am I afraid to try out that business idea? Why am I afraid to talk to that pretty girl? Why am I afraid to start recording myself and vlogging? Why am I afraid to create that art piece I’ve been dreaming of? Why am I afraid of what other people think of me?
New question: Why should I care if it fails?
Business idea fails. So what, I took my shot. Pretty girl turns me down. Fine, I’ll find someone else. I look funny talking to myself holding a camera. Who cares, I’m probably never going to see them again! My art piece gets laughed at. It’s art, which is subjective in nature. THEIR opinion of MY art piece DOES NOT MATTER. Other people think I’m weird, look funny, too loud, and annoying. Who cares, they don’t have to talk to me. My happiness should not be predicated on someone else’s thoughts.
I struggle with this fear of failure and fear of success. They’re both 2 sides of the same coin. I’m trying. I’m trying to push it behind me. I urge you don’t just sit and do nothing. No one, not one person, can be upset with you for trying.
