If no one has ever said it to you before, I’ll say it. But, when I say it, you have to own it. You have to believe me. What I’m about to say will let you off the hook but don’t let what I’m about to say sit idly by as you continue to do what you’ve always done. Are you ready?
You Have Permission to Screw Up!
If fear of failure is stopping you from starting, you have to get over that right now. We tell ourselves so many things, much of it demotivating. Stop it. There is nothing wrong with pushing yourself to accomplish your goals but if you are convincing yourself that your current mediocre life (Mediocre is subjective. It’s different for each of us. Mediocre, as I’m using it now, means to settle for anything less than you desire) is good enough, then you’re either living your life with fear or with a defeatist attitude.
Look, we all screw up. It’s no fun when we do, but that’s life. Failure is part of being human. I can only think of one greater tragedy than allowing failure to end your story, and that’s allowing the fear of it prevent you from writing it at all.
Fear of failure is almost palpable. It weighs you down and makes it hard to breathe. It’s like trying to see through a dense fog, you can almost make out what’s on the other side, but the way forward is uncertain. It convinces you that it’s not worth trying. It tells you that you have too much to lose. It leads you to inactivity. It leads to the death of your dreams. It hollows you out by taking away everything that makes you, you. Why do that to yourself? Why allow your inability to convince yourself that fear is an illusion stop you from pressing on?
Why? Because you haven’t given YOURSELF permission to screw up. I have. I’ve already said it. Now, say it to yourself. If it helps, read this out loud in front of the mirror. Say it with some passion.
Today, I give myself permission to screw up. I won’t seek out failure but neither will I allow it to break me. Fear of failure will no longer dictate my life forward. I will push through the fear, live the life I want, and if I screw up, I’ll heed the lessons learned and try again. Today, I give myself permission to screw up!
What fears are blocking you from living life on your terms? What needs confronting? Think on it. Write them down. Spend time naming them and then burn them. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. Push on. I believe in you!