Get Out Of Your Way
In learning from those that have achieved a sustained level of success, I have noticed that none of them are lucky lottery winners. They're achievements are due to an unwavering belief in a vision and a relentless commitment towards making it a reality. As my uncle, Alton Wingate, said, "If you believe in something strongly enough, failure doesn't have a chance.” So if failure doesn't have a chance with the right level of commitment, then the only thing standing in our way is our own fear, discouragement, and disbelief. These thoughts can lead to either a lack of action, second guessing mid stream, or action paralysis right before the finish line. Here are a few ways you can overcome these thoughts:
1) Lack of action thoughts. These thoughts keep us idle for fear that we either can't do something or don't know how, so we simply do nothing. We can overcome this by deciding to take action. This requires a general awareness that most people don't have all the answers beforehand, but those who succeed plow forward any way.
2) Second guessing thoughts. These thoughts stop us mid-stream when the going gets tough. This is a second guessing crossroad where one road leads to quitting and the other to uncertainty. At this point discouragement will give you a long list of excuses as to why it will be easier and acceptable to quit.
3) Action paralysis thoughts. The third type of thoughts cause us to halt right before the finish line. This is the culmination of "What will people think if it doesn't turn out right?" thoughts. The easiest way to overcome these thoughts is to try publicly admitting a mistake. Once you are okay with the fact that you aren't perfect and can publicly admit it, the fear of what people will think starts to fade.
The most important thing to remember with all of these thoughts is that we all face them and they are completely fabricated in our heads. So, begin with awareness so you can recognize them when they rear their ugly head. I was with a dear friend the other day who is battling with the fear of failure. My hope is that this person will get out of their own way and believe in themselves. If they do, they will soon realize that failure doesn't have a chance.