💥 What If You Weren’t Afraid? How to Overcome the Fear of Failure and Finally Go After What You Want

Let’s be honest—fear of failure is something we all deal with. Whether you’re dreaming of starting your own business, changing careers, or just trying something new (like that salsa dance class you’ve been eyeing for months), that little voice inside often pipes up:

“What if you fail?”

“What if people laugh?”

“What if you’re just not cut out for this?”

Sound familiar? Yeah… me too.

I remember the first time I tried to pitch an article to a real publication. My hands were shaking as I hit send. I was sure they’d reject it. And guess what? They did. But here’s the thing: I didn’t die. The world didn’t end. And later, someone else said yes.

That’s the magic of pushing through fear. You realize—it’s not as powerful as you thought.

Why Are We So Afraid to Fail?

Fear of failure isn’t really about the failure itself—it’s about what we make it mean.

Maybe you’re afraid of being embarrassed. Maybe you worry people will judge you, or you’ll disappoint someone. Or maybe deep down, you’re scared that failing proves you’re just not good enough.

Here’s the truth: failure doesn’t mean you’re broken—it means you’re trying. And trying is brave.

Redefine Failure as Feedback

Let’s flip the script. What if every failure was actually a lesson in disguise?

Think about it—most successful people failed a lot before they got it right.

• Oprah was fired from her first TV job.
• Steve Jobs was booted from the company he founded.
• Michael Jordan? Didn’t make his high school varsity basketball team.

They didn’t let failure define them. They used it as fuel.

I once posted a blog article I thought would take off. It bombed. Crickets. I felt like quitting… but I didn’t. I rewrote it, tried a new title, and boom—traffic and engagement. That "failure" taught me more than any success ever had.

What If Failure Was Part of the Plan?

Imagine if failure were just a stepping stone, not a stop sign.

What would you attempt if you knew failing was expected along the way? Maybe you’d finally launch that Etsy shop, apply for that dream job, or sign up for that marathon.

Failure is part of the process. You don’t have to avoid it—you just have to learn from it.

Baby Steps Beat Big Leaps

You don’t have to go from zero to hero overnight. Just take the next right step.

➡️ Want to write a book? Start with a journal entry.

➡️ Dreaming of a business? Sketch out your idea in a notebook.

➡️ Thinking of starting a YouTube channel? Film something silly on your phone just for practice.

I used to get stuck in analysis paralysis, thinking everything had to be perfect. Now I remind myself: done is better than perfect.

Progress builds confidence. Small wins stack up.

Quiet That Inner Critic

We’ve all got an inner mean voice. Mine used to say stuff like, “Who do you think you are?” or “You’re going to embarrass yourself.”

Over time, I learned to talk back. I literally named mine “The Doubter” and whenever she pops up, I say:

“Thanks for the input, but I’m doing it anyway.”

It feels weird at first. But it’s powerful. You get to decide which voices get your attention.

💡 Fear = Growth

Here’s something I realized: the things that scare you are usually the things that matter most.

Fear is often a sign you're stretching beyond your comfort zone—and that’s where the good stuff happens.

So when fear shows up? That’s your green light.

🤝 Find Your Support Squad

You don’t need to do this alone.

Find friends, mentors, or online communities who support your growth, who get what it’s like to fail and try again. Sometimes just hearing “me too” is enough to keep going.

Trust me—your people are out there. Find them, and lean in.

Final Take: Fear Will Always Be There—But It Doesn’t Get to Drive

Here’s the truth: fear doesn’t disappear. Even the most successful people feel it.

The difference? They move with fear instead of running from it.

So next time fear pops up, acknowledge it—but don’t let it steer. Remind yourself that failure isn’t fatal, and you’re stronger than you think.

Take that scary step. Hit publish. Say yes. Try again.

You might fail…

But you might just fly. 🕊️