Fear of failure is a form of anxiety in which you are afraid of making mistakes or not doing something properly. It is not a matter of unwillingness. The tension can become so intense that your body and mind go into a state of alarm.

Anxiety mainly arises in situations where you have to perform or may be assessed. For example, during a test, presentation, job interview, sports match or social occasion.

Fear of failure can cause you to freeze up, think less clearly or, conversely, try very hard to avoid making mistakes.

Fear of failure often arises from a combination of factors that influence one another. Thoughts, past experiences and uncertainty can play a major role in this.

Fear of failure can be exacerbated by:

to be afraid of making mistakes;
set high standards for yourself;
do not want to disappoint others;
feel a lot of pressure to get it right;
negative experiences from the past;
uncertainty about your own abilities.

Some people continue to doubt themselves, even when they have prepared thoroughly. As a result, the pressure in situations where you have to perform can become increasingly intense.

Fear of failure can manifest itself physically, mentally and behaviourally. For example, you may notice that:

you feel sick, start to sweat or shake;
you get a headache or stomach ache;
you may find it harder to think clearly;
you have thoughts such as ‘it won’t work anyway’ or ‘I’m going to get it wrong’;
you postpone or avoid situations;
you sometimes have a blackout;
Some people start working extremely hard or constantly checking everything. That, too, can take a lot of energy.

A healthy lifestyle can help you cope better with stress and the challenges of everyday life. Getting enough sleep, maintaining a regular routine, eating a healthy diet and ensuring you have plenty of time to relax can aid your recovery and provide a more stable foundation when you are demanding a lot from yourself.

When you suffer from fear of failure, anxiety can take a lot out of you. It is precisely at such times that it can help to look after yourself properly and allow yourself enough time for recovery and relaxation. A healthy lifestyle will not eliminate your fear of failure, but it can help you manage your anxiety.

Our lifestyle coaches can support you in developing habits that suit your daily life and contribute to a good balance between exercise and recovery.

There is a lot you can do yourself to cope better with fear of failure. By practising step by step and focusing on what helps, you can develop greater confidence in your own abilities.

For example, you could:

Ensuring thorough preparation;
Break down large tasks or objectives into smaller, achievable steps;
Set realistic expectations for yourself;
Practising with situations that cause stress, rather than avoiding them;
Paying attention to what is going well and recognising the successes achieved;
Viewing mistakes as part of learning and development;
Examining and challenging negative thoughts;
Seek support from people you trust;
Take enough time for relaxation and recovery.

By gaining experience and realising that you can handle challenges, your confidence in your own abilities can gradually grow.

When fear of failure affects school, university, work or daily life, treatment can help. Together, we will look at which approach best suits your symptoms and situation.

The treatment can help with:

tension during performance;
negative thoughts about yourself;
uncertainty;
avoiding stressful situations;
stress or feeling blocked during exams, interviews or presentations.

Our psychologists They often use cognitive behavioural therapy. You will learn to recognise which thoughts intensify your anxiety and how you can deal with them differently. You will also practise, step by step, dealing with situations that cause anxiety.

Sometimes ACT or EMDR is more suitable for the symptoms or experiences involved. ACT stands for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. This treatment helps you learn to cope better with difficult thoughts and feelings, so that they have less of an impact on your daily life. EMDR is a treatment for traumatic or distressing experiences that still cause a great deal of distress.

Together, we’ll look at which treatment best suits your needs.

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