How to overcome the grip of fear that paralyses

Fear paralyses but love sets you free.

What’s your biggest failure?

That’s a tough question to answer. Nobody likes to talk about failure. It’s much more comfortable to talk about success. But you learn a lot more when you fail.

The last six months have been trying times job hunting for me with no results. The challenging job market coupled with the fact that I didn’t have local contacts or experience made this an uphill battle.

Here’s a few lessons I picked up:

1. Contain failure. Don’t let it shape the future

This may be the single most difficult thing to do, not to let failure cloud your view of tomorrow so that you keep on trying. Its tough not to take the rejection personally because you are selling yourself.

Being able to wake up each morning with the energy to give it your best is a decision you need to commit to each day. So its helps to take one day at a time, one step at a time. Just keep moving forward.

Remember don’t stop cycling when you fall. Pick yourself up and carry on.

2. Learn from mistakes

Its easy to fall into the trap of self-pity when focusing on failure. Stop and ask what could I change or improve? Learn then move forward.

I used feedback from a Public Affairs recruitment specialist to rewrite my resume and reposition myself, started networking with industry professionals and took up an opportunity to do volunteer PR consulting.

Having people who can give you advice and encouragement at this time is a godsend. Its never too late to learn, change and adapt, and create a new future for yourself. Failure can set you up for success if you use this “in between time” to prepare.

Its the same with cycling, each crash or bruise is a lesson on what to do differently the next time.

3. It’s only human to fail

Containing failure means not taking it personally. It’s hard when you have to put up with countless rejections. Feelings of disappointment and shame can overwhelm. Beware “shame is a toxic form of fear,” it can paralyze so let it go.

REMEMBER: Its only human to fail. We can’t control the outcome but we can choose how we respond. The paradox of finding strength in weakness, sets us free from the fear of failure. You can turn failure into an opportunity to grow and explore new horizons.

Everyone falls, even great riders. It’s part and parcel of cycling as it is with life. That’s what makes the journey all the more memorable.

So keep at it and don’t give up.