Have you ever been scared to try something new because you were afraid of failure or rejection?
I know I have. When I was a kid, my parents wanted me to play an instrument and take music lessons, but I was so afraid of failing that I convinced myself it would be easier not to even try.
The truth is, if you don’t try something new, there’s always the chance you’ll never do it at all.
So I never learned to play guitar or piano. If you’ve ever experienced something like this, then you may be struggling with fear of failure and rejection as a Christian.
This article is about how to overcome the fear of failure and rejection.
What is Fear of Failure and Rejection?
Fear of failure, also referred to as performance anxiety, is when you are afraid of doing poorly in some kind of test or competition. It may be the test of skill, knowledge, game, or future event. It can be mild or extreme. But in any case, it’s extremely self-defeating.
When you have fear of failure, there’s a tendency to choke under pressure or be unable to perform your best in key situations. You may even convince yourself that it would just be easier not to try at all.
Fear of rejection, also known as social anxiety, is the feeling of being embarrassed by others’ actions, statements, or opinions.
When you suffer from this fear, it means you’re not comfortable talking to new people and having them judge your appearance or personality.
The bottom line is that when you fail in the eyes of others then they may start treating you differently than before. And if that happens, it can be hard to recover.
Where Does Fear of Failure and Rejection Come From?
It’s strange to think that the things we dread the most, such as failure and rejection, can actually cause us a great deal of stress if we let them get to us. But according to Dr. Martin Seligman, these fears stem from our childhood experiences.
Seligman believes that fear of failure and rejection stems from a lack of confidence in our abilities to take care of ourselves.
This is why children who come from homes where parents don’t provide enough love, support, or discipline often end up fearful adults. And while you can’t avoid life-altering events like divorce, you can change the way you look at failure and rejection.
Why You Need to Overcome Fear of Failure and Rejection
There are plenty of positive reasons why overcoming fear of failure and rejection is important.
First, the best things in life require risk, including following God’s plan for your life. If you’re always afraid that God isn’t calling you to do something great, then you’re in for a real letdown in the future.
Second, when you live in fear of failure or rejection, it prevents you from reaching your full potential.
You’ll never be able to go beyond what you think is possible if your only goal is to avoid bringing shame on yourself or disappointing others.
Finally, overcoming the fear of failure and rejection helps you experience joy in your life.
When you truly believe that God has given you everything you need to overcome any situation, it’s freeing! And when you act on the belief that God is with you always, even in moments of embarrassment or defeat, then joy can’t help but follow.
How You Can Overcome Fear of Failure and Rejection
Here are 10 ways on how to overcome the fear of failure and rejections-
1. Change Your Thinking
The first step to overcoming fear of failure is changing your thinking about how failures are supposed to affect you.
It’s true that when you fail it can be hard not to feel humiliated or disappointed in yourself, but all kinds of people fail, including some of the greatest people in history. Failure is a great opportunity to learn and grow, so use it for its intended purpose instead of letting it control your life.
2. Stop Dwelling on Past Failures
The truth is that failure is going to happen at some point in your life whether you’re a believer or not.
The difference is that believers can look at their failures as an opportunity to learn and grow, whereas unbelievers worry these situations will define them forever.
Unfortunately, there are some people who never overcome this fear because they’re constantly reliving past mistakes instead of finding ways to move on. If that sounds like you, then it’s time to let go and forgive yourself.
3. Refuse to Dwell on Rejections
Even more, pressure is put on Christians when you add in the additional fear of rejection. This happens when we allow other people’s opinions to determine our self-worth and value as a person.
The truth is that God loves every single one of us and has a perfect plan for each of our lives. Since we don’t know that future plan, we need to focus on the present instead of focusing on what people think about us.
4. Trust God
Learn to trust in God’s love no matter how bad the situation seems or how many failures or rejections you may have experienced.
It’s so easy to get discouraged when life is getting tough, but that’s exactly when you need to put your faith in God. He won’t let you down if you trust in His will no matter what!
5. Recognize the Process Doesn’t Stop After Failure
The Christian life isn’t a straight line from point A to point B. It’s more like a zigzag pattern where you have to turn and go down a different path before returning to your original direction.
Life is going to be filled with ups and downs, so don’t let yourself get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results.
6. Take Time to Reflect on Failure and Rejection
When we struggle with fear of failure or rejection, it’s easy to rush past those rough moments as quickly as possible so we can avoid feeling uncomfortable. But it’s equally important to stop and reflect on those negative experiences so you can learn from them and grow stronger because of them.
7. Remind Yourself of Your Value
It’s important to remind yourself that you’re a person created in the image of God with unlimited potential and value.
That doesn’t mean your life is going to be free from negative situations or pain, but it does mean you have the ability to find joy in every situation through Jesus Christ.
8. Focus on the Good Things in Your Life
As humans, we tend to focus on the negative aspects of our lives instead of thinking about all the good things God has given us. But it’s always helpful to remind yourself you still have plenty of blessings in your life even when things seem bleak and miserable.
9. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
It can be so tempting to compare yourself to others and find yourself lacking, but we all have different talents and abilities. What works for one person may not work for you, so stop looking at what everyone else is doing and start concentrating on your own path.
10. Learn from Others ‘ Failures
The best way to overcome your fear of failure is by learning from the failures of others. No one succeeds every time, but there are people who succeed more often than others because they know what to do when things go wrong.
So instead of wasting your energy worrying about negative situations, spend that time asking other people questions about how they overcame failure instead.
11. Be Honest with Yourself
It’s always easier to convince yourself you’re completely over a rough situation, but denial only makes things worse. It’s better to face your fears and learn from them instead of hiding from the truth, so be honest with yourself when you feel fear of failure or rejection coming on.
12. Allow Yourself to Fail, but Never Stop Trying
Life is much more fun when you’re able to experience the good things without being weighed down by the constant fear of failure or rejection. Unfortunately, it can take a while before you reach that point, but all it takes is a little practice.
13. Remember Your Mistakes Are Temporary
Don’t let your mistakes define who you are or who you become. Everyone makes mistakes, but that doesn’t mean every mistake has the power to change your life for good. Use your failures and rejections to learn something new about yourself or others, then keep moving forward with your life.
14. Don’t Stress Over Things You Can’t Control
Just because you feel like giving up doesn’t mean you should actually give up. However, it’s smart to recognize when you have no control over a particular situation and focus your energy on finding other solutions to fix the problem instead of wasting time worrying or complaining about it.
15. You Can Do This
The most important thing to remember is that you have the ability to overcome your fear of failure and rejection if you’re willing to put in the effort and find an effective coping strategy. It won’t be easy, but you can do this!
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”- Deuteronomy 31:6
16. Ask for Help
When you’re struggling with something it’s hard to get through it alone, so don’t be afraid to ask others for help if you need it. Whether you want to talk about your problem or ask for advice, there are plenty of people out there willing to offer their support. Although they may not be able to directly solve your problem, they can provide you with the wisdom and insight you need to work through it on your own.
Conclusion:
Lack of success is not the result of a lack of ability. It’s simply the result of not trying hard enough or giving up too soon. If you really want something, do whatever it takes to make it happen.
There are many examples throughout history that show how people faced their fears and achieved great things because they refused to give up.
Nothing is impossible–and even if something seems too difficult to do, it’s at least possible for you to try.
Remember that everyone fails sometimes, but the only people who never succeed are those who give up. Keep on pushing forward and practicing your skills until you eventually become good enough to achieve success on your own terms.
