I'm going to ask you to do something right now. I want to ask you to take a moment and think about your future and achieving your wildest dreams. Whatever success looks like to you, picture it for a moment.
OK, now let me ask you, have you ever stopped and thought about what it would take to get there, what decisions you would need to make, or what opportunities you need to chase? And let's take a second to ponder here: what if you do all those things but still fail?
The human brain is hardwired to focus on the negatives. After all, we were much more likely to survive if we could adequately assess threats and create a safer environment, and so our worldview is coated with a negative bias.
Today, however, when we look at our lives or careers and dare to believe we can reach just that little bit further, we can be quickly struck down by that same negative bias. The caution of the unknown, or that fear of failure, can become more than just a stumbling block, it can become a seemingly impenetrable barrier that stops us from going further. How often has the fear of failure held you back? Didn’t go for that promotion you would have been perfect for? Decided not to talk to that person at the bar (or on that app)? Didn’t sign up for that marathon? Today, right now, I'm going to show you a different way of viewing things.
As a neuroscientist, I am interested in understanding what the research tells us about failure and how neuroscience and psychology can help us to crush it. After reading the literature and reflecting on some of my experiences, something became very clear. We should try to fail. Failure should be our target. We should actively seek it out. So, I am advising you, my dear reader, to go out there and fail. If you are not convinced, then read this article, return to this part, and then tell me otherwise.
If nothing else, try this: if the fear of failure prevents you from beginning something, then think of how satisfying it can be to achieve what you were afraid of failing at. Use that fear as a fuel for motivation!
The fear barrier
Fear of failure is defined as a tendency to experience anxiety when evaluating future situations because we have learned that failure is associated with negative consequences [1]. Recently, there has been a renaissance of interest in the impact of this fear of failure, particularly in business and entrepreneurship [1,2,3], but the lessons can be applied to all of us because fear is universal. There is another thing, this fear of failure can be used to our advantage!
Has fear held you back from doing something you wanted?
Yes
No
From a scientific perspective, the fear of failure is an intriguing concept because it can serve as both a barrier and a motivator for achieving our goals [4]. Taking on a new venture, whether saving up for a house, starting a new business, or even simply beginning a new hobby, comes with risk. It always does. That could be a financial risk (losing an investment), an emotional risk (feeling like you are not good enough), or, arguably, the most significant, a social risk (how our friends and peers will see us). The social risk is a crucial part here because, in today's society, failure is (unfairly) linked with shame, embarrassment, and our ability. There is progress, however, as more and more of us open up about our failures and setbacks, and normalise talking about and sharing our experiences.
As scientists, we are guilty of brushing unsuccessful experiments under the rug. We are taught from early in our careers not to share negative data (experiments that didn’t work for one reason or another) and to only publish our most impressive data. But this only means that other scientists are doomed to repeat the same mistakes, unaware that their hard work won't pay off. Some journals, such as Scientific Reports, are starting to publish negative data, which is fantastic and a sign that perspectives around failure are already improving!
So, as this article has been leading to, the best way to move forward is to reframe the idea of failure. Because it’s not failure, it’s a learning process.
OK, let’s pause for a moment because this is an important note. Even though this article has the word ‘failure’ in it, and, to be fair, I have written that word several times already, ‘failure’ is not correct. The world we live in is not binary. There are not 1s and 0s everywhere, hot and cold, or success and failure. Real life is a constantly evolving scale of every possible outcome. Even ‘success’ probably isn’t the way you imagine it. If you do achieve that big dream, what are the drawbacks? What did it cost to get there? It's never 100% success, just as it's never 100% failure. Instead, ‘failure’ is more like a series of required learnings because you are a little too early in your journey to check off every one of your targets.
Catalyst for growth and learning
This philosophy of learning from setbacks isn’t just something to motivate you or leave you feeling empowered (although that would be great). It is based on the exceptional work on mindset theory by American Psychologist Carol Dweck, who, in her 2006 book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, laid the foundations for the fixed and growth mindsets, which eventually became mainstream. The fixed mindset believes that our abilities are innate and remain largely unchanged, whereas the growth mindset understands that skill, intellect, and abilities are developed through effort and constant learning (what some call failure). Dweck has also shown how the chances of success significantly increase when we adopt the growth mindset.
Getting feedback is one of the best ways we can adopt this growth mindset and learn from experiences when we don't meet every target we set for ourselves. We need to debrief. At the end of each project, even if successful, we should dissect each step of the process. What worked, what didn’t, why? Was it because of factors outside of our control, or is there something we can improve on for next time, something that would increase the likelihood of everything going better next time?
These might sound like simple questions to ask yourself, but they can offer profound insights into your process. When we reframe failure as a series of learning for future gains, we can use this debriefing process to identify strengths or areas to work on. Once you understand them further, you will find that many of the causes of failure can be prevented. If we learn how to prevent those causes, we can reduce the fear when beginning a new venture. We can learn a lot from this step, and although it might be the last thing we want to do if we are already feeling defeated, take the golden opportunity to learn. Tell yourself that ‘no matter the outcome, I was incredible in some areas and good in others, and I know I can be incredible in those too.’
Look at ways to ‘level up’ in those good areas, perhaps by speaking to mentors, colleagues, and partners, reading books, or taking online courses. Learning and growing from setbacks will pay dividends later in life. Comprehensive planning and reflection will always be a good investment in yourself. People can pay top money for this type of personal consultancy, and you get it for free.
Failure as a motivator
Paradoxically, we can use failure, not to hold us back, but as a springboard to motivate us. If we are anxious about taking on a new project, we can actively put steps in place to increase the chances of hitting our goals. We can use that anxiety to sharpen our focus and determination, or to become more disciplined and committed. We can tell ourselves that, any time we don’t reach our target, we will take one actionable learning and dedicate time and energy to it. We can also use the fear of failure to clarify what success in this new endeavour really means to us and prioritise our values and efforts to get the results we want.
If nothing else, try this: if the fear of failure prevents you from beginning something, then think of how satisfying it can be to achieve what you were afraid of failing at. Use that fear as a fuel for motivation!
Defensive pessimism
Defensive pessimism involves strategic thinking to incorporate worst-case scenarios to help prepare for those outcomes if they do occur [1]. A great example of this process would be visualisation, which can be used as mental preparation for upcoming events or social interactions. By taking the time to think through the worst-case scenario, we realise that all is not lost, options remain, and the chance to achieve success won’t end with one slip-up or setback. Visualisation can also help us to prepare by exposing us to negative thoughts and emotions that come flooding in when we don’t find success. We can visualise and feel these same emotions in a controlled setting so we are less affected by them and eventually, less fearful of them.
A Korean study asking nearly 300 entrepreneurs who had a recent unsuccessful venture, found that those who employed defensive pessimism strategies towards future outcomes were much more likely to try again on a new venture [1]. Additionally, those who could combine defensive pessimism with a sense of humour (I know, I know, easier said than done), were found to be even more likely to persist in their endeavours, and not be subdued by a fear of failure. All of this helps to show that if we can find strategies to mitigate our fears, then we are much more likely to persist, which, in the end, builds our resilience, which is crucial in achieving success.
In summary
Try to fail; it is the best indicator that you are improving
A growth mindset will help you learn and improve from failing
Failure can also be used as a motivator
Defensive pessimism can help prepare you and build resilience
Reframe failure as an expected outcome of eventually reaching your goals
Remember that failure is learning tool, and that if we make up our minds that we can improve from each lesson, then there really isn’t a final moment of ‘failure’, each one is a moment we can prepare for, embrace, and learn and grow from. Therefore, it's crucial to reframe failure, not as the end of something but as one more step in a marathon to success. We wouldn't think we failed to complete the race after only running for 10 minutes. Of course not. The next step we take isn't failing at the marathon, it's just one standard step in the process. It’s a process that isn't complete yet, so it would be impossible to count anything as failing, because, no matter what, we are always going to receive some success. We are going to learn and take a step forward.
Above all else, never forget that success and failure are not linked to your self-worth or ability. A person is much more than a list of success stories or situations when they don’t hit every target. In fact, in many instances, the outcomes are heavily weighted to chance or timing, even if it doesn’t feel like that in the moment. Not reaching our goals but finding ways to deal better so we can continue onwards is a sign of strength, resilience, confidence, and eventually, success [5,6].
Wise words
Thomas Edison, famous for his perseverance in the face of failure while inventing the light bulb, reportedly made thousands of unsuccessful attempts before finally achieving success. Edison famously said, ‘I have not failed, I’ve just found 1000 things that won’t work’. Each one of those was a necessary and inevitable step towards success.
There are benefits to success, but there are so many more opportunities to grow when we miss our targets. We should celebrate those times! Why? Because we use them to become more resilient, grow and improve our skill set, understand the process better, and ultimately increase the chance of success next time. And that success will taste sweeter than ever!
References
1 - Hwang, K., & Choi, J. (2021). How Do Failed Entrepreneurs Cope with Their Prior Failure When They Seek Subsequent Re-Entry into Serial Entrepreneurship? Failed Entrepreneurs' Optimism and Defensive Pessimism and Coping Humor as a Moderator. Int J Environ Res Public Health;18 (13): 7021
2 - Adriaanse, M. A., & Ten Broeke, P. (2022). Beyond prevention: Regulating responses to self-regulation failure to avoid a set-back effect. Appl Psychol Health Well Being; (1): 278-293
3 - Cacciotti, G., Hayton, J. C., Mitchell, J. R. et al. (2016) A reconceptualization of fear of failure in entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing; 31 (3), p302-325
4 - Simmons, S. A., Wiklund, J., Levie, J. (2014). Stigma and business failure: Implications for entrepreneurs' career choices. Small Business Economics; 42
5- Hunter, E., Jenkins, A., Mark-Herbert, C. (2021). When fear of failure leads to intentions to act entrepreneurially: Insights from threat appraisals and coping efficacy. International Small Business Journal; 39(5), 407-423
6 - Cope, J. (2011). Entrepreneurial learning from failure: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Journal of Business Venturing; 26 (6), p604-623,