Fear of Failure
Jenai Love
Amy Tietjen
Personal Relationships (PSYC 1030-04)
1 April 2013
Self-Change Project: Overcoming Fear of Failure
“Waiting For the Beat to Drop” On a day to day basis, I experience the phobia atychiphobia; according to the medical dictionary, it is the fear of failing. This phobia is a major part of my life that I would like to change, because I am being consumed by the possibility of failing. I will either run from the task I am afraid of failing, or fear will motivate me to excel. This phobia has held me back from attempting more challenging opportunities like, pursuing a medical degree, adding a foreign language as my minor, or getting involved in a sport in college. I have noticed that I will mentally rationalize why I should not take on the difficult task, and how great of a failure I will be if I do not succeed. When I think of life changing experiences that will occur in the near future (love, marriage, children, graduation, or a career) overwhelming fear sweeps over me. These major events that will happen within the next few years, unsettles me, because there is a big possibility that these things that I want out of life will not become a reality. I have this ides that I am not competent enough or worthy to achieve all of these great things that I want. Over all, it is important for one to have confidence in their capabilities and their aspirations, because without that confidence, you are less likely to succeed in life. My fear of failure began as a child; my older sister and I have always been compared to one another. We have both always made drastically different decisions in life, and expectations of me have grown the older I have gotten. Because I have always attempted to do the right thing in life, my family somewhat expects me to be great in everything I do. The expectations my family has of me stirs up an immense amount of pressure to live up to. Being the “golden child” has always made me feel like I don’t have a choice but to
Amy Tietjen
Personal Relationships (PSYC 1030-04)
1 April 2013
Self-Change Project: Overcoming Fear of Failure
“Waiting For the Beat to Drop” On a day to day basis, I experience the phobia atychiphobia; according to the medical dictionary, it is the fear of failing. This phobia is a major part of my life that I would like to change, because I am being consumed by the possibility of failing. I will either run from the task I am afraid of failing, or fear will motivate me to excel. This phobia has held me back from attempting more challenging opportunities like, pursuing a medical degree, adding a foreign language as my minor, or getting involved in a sport in college. I have noticed that I will mentally rationalize why I should not take on the difficult task, and how great of a failure I will be if I do not succeed. When I think of life changing experiences that will occur in the near future (love, marriage, children, graduation, or a career) overwhelming fear sweeps over me. These major events that will happen within the next few years, unsettles me, because there is a big possibility that these things that I want out of life will not become a reality. I have this ides that I am not competent enough or worthy to achieve all of these great things that I want. Over all, it is important for one to have confidence in their capabilities and their aspirations, because without that confidence, you are less likely to succeed in life. My fear of failure began as a child; my older sister and I have always been compared to one another. We have both always made drastically different decisions in life, and expectations of me have grown the older I have gotten. Because I have always attempted to do the right thing in life, my family somewhat expects me to be great in everything I do. The expectations my family has of me stirs up an immense amount of pressure to live up to. Being the “golden child” has always made me feel like I don’t have a choice but to