Introduction to fear of failure - Kathy Swahn

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What would you do if you knew you would not fail?

Hello my name is Kathy Swahn I teach 8th grade science. Here are a few websites that I found helpful when dealing with students who are afraid to participate during classroom lessons. I personally have often struggled with participation during my K-12 learning experiences. The fear of getting the answer wrong or being misunderstood was always at the back of my mind playing a major part of learning and risk. Often I would opt out rather than participating, the easier route. I look back now and wish I would have taken the risks and been more comfortable in my learning. After all learning is an uncomfortable process.

Knowing this small yet important information is vital to success. As a student I felt alone in how I felt. I did not and could not pin point exactly what it was that I felt at the time. I only understood it as uncomfortable, something I couldn’t do. I often felt that I was not as smart or athletic as the other students. I entered myself into the realm of “average”. I did find success but it was usually in areas where I excelled naturally and certainly not outside of my comfort level.

 One of my greatest successes came in a turning point in my life. I was bored and wanted something else to do with my life. My ex-husband suggested I go to college. I was stricken with fear of failure – what if I was not smart enough? What if I could not keep up? What if I did not pass? John simply said, “Who will know? Are you going to run around and tell everyone you failed?” I simply replied, “NO! What sense would that make?” He then replied with, “So if you don’t tell and I don’t tell, what do you have to lose?” I had never looked at failure in that respect before. I had never looked at it with a “so what” attitude. It had never been a “so what” feeling.

I went to college because I was enabled with an attitude of “so what” if I failed…at least I tried. I did not fail. I found much success. Did I struggle along the way? Yes. Did I become overwhelmed with the fear that I might not make the grade? Yes and often I had to step back, reconsider what I was doing, and work through my fear. Not always easy but I had small accomplishments to spur me along on my journey. I graduated Magna Cum Laude a huge accomplishment for someone who might not have gone to college if the challenge was not trivialized with “So what?”  

I want my students to understand that we all face challenges and we all fail or succeed. It is what we do with it at the end of the day is what counts. I hope they will be willing to open themselves up to the risks that learning requires. After all without risk there is no reward. “So what if you fail?” Is it really the end or the beginning of something new?

• Embracing the Fear of Failure
  

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  This is a short article about the benefits of embracing the fear of failure and creating an environment where we learn to use the failure to learn about ourselves and our relationships.

• Are you haunted by a fear of failure?
  

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  This brief article explains the underlying fear of failure based on how other people view us. The article embraces the idea that too often we worry about what someone else may think of us rather than doing what we feel will work.

• Atychiphobia-Fear Of Failure
  

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  Extremely short description of the fear of failure, causes, and how to self help.

• Goal Setting Guide

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  This article contains a series of steps to help those immobilized by fear move beyond fear and gain success.

• Brian Tracy Fear of Failure - You Tube

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  This video gives a series of questions to guide you through your fear and to find ways to overcome those fears.