How to overcome the fear of failure at your new job
You've opened your congratulatory email and jubilated your way through the weekend. Now it's Monday and you're having sweaty palms and cold feet. You're worried about making a good first impression, not just with your dressing, but also with your performance.
We have all been there at some point. We are afraid of being penalized and embarrassed if we fail, so we want to avoid failure at all costs. That does not have to be the case.
Remember that failing isn't the end.
Keep in mind that it happens from time to time. No one expects you to be 100% perfect. It is not a measure of your ability, capability, or worth.
So what should you do instead?
If you consider failure to be a threat, as many of us do, your body will prepare for battle—and you'll feel like you're fighting. If you choose to see this failure as a challenge, on the other hand, you'll be more likely to believe you can handle it. You'll be more capable and less prone to fail as a result of the relaxing influence it has on your body.
Keep in mind that you may experience identical bodily symptoms, such as nervousness and shakiness, even if you can alter your brain to cease viewing something as a threat. If you observe these things, try to think of them as signs of excitement, vitality, and "positive" stress—signs that you care about what you're doing.
Read more: Office etiquette 101 – How to build up self confidence
Don't be scared to receive constructive criticism.
Hearing a negative statement can make you feel sad about yourself, but if you change your perspective and take it as feedback, you'll be more prepared for your next task. Consider the comments carefully to see if they are true, and then design a plan to change your flaw into a strength. It's usually a good idea to try not to take negative feedback personally and instead use it to help you develop.
Remember to be kind to yourself when you experience failure.
When you make a mistake, it's crucial to exercise self-compassion. Everyone fails, so don't be a bully to yourself, feel guilty, or tear yourself down. That mindset will not help you persevere in the future if you fail. Instead, try talking to yourself in a helpful, friendly, and caring manner, and you'll be more inclined to admit faults and improve your performance in the future.
Don't let the fear of failure get in the way of work.
When you're afraid of failing, you work hard to make sure that what you give meets expectations. You overwork yourself to make sure that all of the necessary boxes are checked.
Second, it causes you to hold back—even if only a little—so that if things go wrong, you can blame yourself and absolve yourself of responsibility. So you don't say anything because you're afraid of being judged.
This might even result in procrastination and efforts to delegate the responsibilities to someone else.
These are the factors that limit creativity and innovation, turn work into a struggle, and keep you from producing truly outstanding work. You're more likely to fail if you resist than if you engage.
Face it head on. What's the worst that could happen?
Failures at a new job should be viewed as lessons rather than a path to undesired repercussions and misery. This may sound trite, but it's actually quite useful.
The more you see failure as an essential part of your growth, the less unclear and frightening it becomes. Failure can teach you significant life lessons that go beyond your profession. The objective is to extract the positive aspects of the event and move on rather than taking them to heart.
Remember the outcome of past failures.
Even though they are difficult to recognize or appreciate in the moment, all negative experiences have advantages. Start by writing down three things you learned from a previous failure to uncover the advantages. Have you made any modifications to avoid future failures like this? If not, make a few little adjustments right now.
You can also ask a friend or a mentor about their own experience. How did they overcome it? Seeing others overcome their failures might reduce your concerns and teach you how to more readily uncover the positives of your own blunders.
Remember why they hired you.
Don't forget you were chosen in a pool of other prospects. You went through the interview process and aced it. You got hired because you're the best. Your qualifications, experience, qualities, talents, and personality make you the most qualified candidate for this job. It means you're as good as you hope and better than you believe you are.
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