The fear of failure is one of the biggest human fears in existence. It’s like the fear of public speaking. Many would rather die than speak in public!
But when we talk about how to conquer your fear of failure, -for many- it’s worse than that.
In the worst case scenario, the fear of failure grips them constantly. It can be nerve-wracking and paralyzing and lead to a constant barrage of negative thoughts.
But for so many who deal with the possibility of failure, there is a simple and amazing solution – a solution that could be closer than you ever imagined.
It’s simpler, easier and more effective than the techniques you often hear of, such as techniques like positive self-talk and growth mindset.
These are all good as a first step, but there are better ways to absolutely crush your memories of past failures and the low self-esteem that comes with them.
Below you will see real-life examples of ordinary people who flushed their fears and rose to world-class levels of success.
Let’s go!
Destroy Fear of Failure -Two Proven Ways
Overcoming the fear of failure is 100% possible by putting our trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because He is always with us and He helps us (Isaiah 41:10).
And most people really need to read this, because a recent study shows that 1 in 3 American adults are absolutely terrified by failure.
But how do you practically do that?
Well, here are two great ways, both proven and Scripture-based, to get rid of the fear of failure once and for all:
Cast all your anxiety on God
You will never worry about the possibility of failure again if you know that the Lord will never leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).
In fact, believers should cast all their fears and anxieties on Him, Who cares for His flock. Here, read it for yourself:
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV
If your Creator wants you to be free of all fears and anxiety, then why would you be worried about failure?
What’s even more incredible is that He even wants you to place all your anxieties on Him! Isn’t that absolutely mind-blowing?
And yet, due to our sinful nature, we continue worrying about failing various things, whether it’s due to low expectations or sometimes even high expectations.
Every believer is predestined to be the son or daughter of God through Jesus Christ, by the purpose of His will (Ephesians 1:5). His unconditional love destroys every feeling of fear and any possible outcomes that might be unpleasant.
The good news is that you can even wave goodbye to traumatic experiences because the Lord sustains us (Psalm 55:22).
Read and Meditate on the Word of God
The word of God found in the Holy Bible is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
It’s like a learning experience for your spirit, but even more powerful than that.
It’s also filled with verses that show us how to conquer the fear of failure through Christ. Here are some of my favorite ones:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6 ESV
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27 ESV
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7 ESV
Let these verses replace self-limiting beliefs with optimistic and God-honoring success.
Relying on the Living Word of God to battle the fear of failure shouldn’t be your backup plan or plan B. It should be your Plan A priority in addition to prayer and simply trusting the Lord.
You don’t need to spend your hard-earned cash on expensive therapies or other dubious practices.
Just focus on Him and His word and remember to always put your trust in the Lord, especially when you begin to feel afraid (Psalm 56:3).
Bible Characters Who Conquered Fear By Faith
There are plenty of examples throughout the Scriptures where people who trusted in the Lord were able to overcome all types of anxiety.
So here’s a list of some of the most profound examples of mighty men of God who turned their fear into victory through faith:
Moses’ Fear of Persecution by Pharaoh
In Exodus 2:11-15, we find the account of Moses fleeing to the land of Midian.
He did this out of fear of being persecuted by Pharaoh’s men because he had killed an Egyptian who was beating down a Hebrew.
In the next chapter, in the well-known burning bush account, God instructs Moses that he is to lead His people out of Egypt. And this includes personally speaking to the Pharaoh.
Although Moses is initially hesitant, he shows his faith in the Lord’s words by returning to Egypt, to face the Pharaoh and do what God instructed him to do.
Gideon’s Fear of the Midianites
We find Gideon’s very own struggle with anxiety and fear of failure in Judges 6:11-18.
The vicious Midianites oppressed the Israelites and God decided to put an end to this by calling Gideon, who was the least in his father’s house and also of the weakest tribe in Israel at the time.
He clearly struggled with the idea of destroying the Midianites, especially as He wanted to see clear signs from the Lord that he was indeed the one to lead the Israelites to victory.
But this anxiety and doubt quickly turned to faith, as evident from Judges 7:19-25, which reveals how Gideon destroyed the Midianites by trusting in God’s plan.
Elijah’s Fear of Jezebel
Elijah is undoubtedly one of the most profound men of God in Scripture, as not only was he able to defeat the prophets of Baal (with the help of the Lord), but he (alongside Moses) appeared next to Jesus in the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:3 ESV).
But even after his victory in the 18th chapter of 1 Kings, he was struck by fear caused by Jezebel, who wanted revenge for what he had done. Thus, Elijah fled and hid in a cave.
…After his crushing victory over the 450 priests of Baal, Elijah ran and hid in a cave because of one woman named Jezebel…
But then God appeared to Him and confronted Elijah due to his lack of faith, which was portrayed by him running away like a little girl (…easy for me to say this in front of my computer screen…).
Then God instructed Elijah to go back and anoint Hazael as the king of Syria. And what did Elijah do? He trusted his Creator and did what he was told to do as a sign of conquering fear through faith in the Lord.
The Worldly Approach to Overcoming Fear
Because we know that the entire world is under the power of the evil one i.e. Satan (see 1 John 5:19), it’s no surprise that for most people the best thing to do is consult therapists who specialize in cognitive behavioral techniques to combat the fear of failure.
These specialists engage in hard work to analyze any extreme fear of failure and identify the emotions related to being anxious about failing. And we’re not talking about mental health disorders here.
Nobody is immune. This anxiety of failure can stem from a plethora of difficult things that can happen to anybody.
Maybe it’s the next step in life, trying to achieve good grades, starting a new business, trying new things, starting a new job etc. Even dealing with certain family members can trigger your fear of failure (come on, I know that you all agree on this).
Think about the first time you came out of your comfort zone.
Was it low self-esteem that resulted in the intense fear of failure? Did you resort to negative self-talk? Were there negative consequences?
In the worst-case scenario, this new challenge probably led to a bunch of negative feelings. Maybe your own expectations were in line with the outcome.
If you’ve ever been to a psychologist or a therapist, you’ll know that when it comes to overcoming the crippling fear of failure, they like to talk about things like:
-Having a positive attitude
-Positive visualizations
-Positive thinking
-Doing good things
-Going back to the drawing board
-Having a unique perspective on life
-Having a clear vision of your life and future plans
-Implementing an action plan to fight the fear of failure
Psychology sure has its place. As with other man-based disciplines, psychology has value. But –compared to Godly wisdom- there’s just no comparison.
And while there are certain situations where positive visualization is beneficial (i.e. sports) visualization can also be a harmful spiritual practice that causes its own problems.
But all of this is absolutely meaningless in the big picture if you haven’t put your faith in Christ (Mark 8:36).
Fear of Failure Caused by Sin
This might be a shocker to some, but being afraid of failure is actually directly related to sin.
People are driven by pride and all kinds of lust in these last days, trying to approach goals, getting in front of others by any means and being inspired by the most successful people, most of whom have sold their souls to the devil.
The professional life in various organizations today is truly brutal, all in the name of a simple piece of paper (money). The high achievers in these environments are often ready to backstab even their best friends on the way to their next promotion.
You can have smart goals, aim in the right direction, and be the only person that’s fit for the job, yet you can still face the worst of fears when it comes to dealing with possible failure.
Even if there’s a positive outcome and you end up in a great place with a competitive salary etc., there’s still the very real possibility of failure due to high standards.
Eventually, it’s all vanity and chasing the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:13-14).
We’re All Sinners Due to Original Sin
You see, ever since Adam and Eve committed the original sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-8 ESV), this earth, including everything in it, has been tainted by sin.
But what does this have to do with fear? Simple – fear stems from sin because it’s the expression of unbelief in God’s promises and character.
Perceived failure is one thing, but being crippled by fear each time, there’s a chance to fail just shows unbelief. And I’m not talking about the fear of shame or fear of heights.
It’s about not trusting your Creator Who promised to look after us and help us in every situation (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV).
In Matthew 6:25 ESV our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lets us know that we shouldn’t be anxious about the things in this life. Verse 27 is really eye-opening: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
Try to memorize this verse and think about it the next time you’re worried about the result of failure.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the best way to overcome the fear of failure is by putting your trust in God and diving into His word (the Bible).
Having faith in the face of failure is vital, whether it’s a career failure or another type of defeat. This is the most important thing in such situations, while the worst thing would be to rely on yourself solely.
Don’t forget that the root cause of your fear (the source of your fear) is sin. It’s the fallen state that we’re all in as a result of the original sin.
This fear of failure is fueled by the help of our arch-enemy Satan, although our battle is not physical but spiritual (Ephesians 6:12).
That’s why we need to pray and read the Bible. Not occasionally, but every single day!
Let’s finish with a very appropriate Bible verse:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 ESV
Trust Him in every situation because He is faithful.
Is your Faith Founded on Fact? Have you committed to follow Jesus?