Fear of failure stopping you from hitting home runs?

It is never a good feeling. You go to the field to perform. You take the bat. And as you take the stance, your mind gets fogged up in fear. The things that it had learned, the shots that it had excelled, it remembers no more. And this doesn’t impact sports alone. We have all been there at some point in our lives. We want to achieve something, but the fear of failure holds us back. Whether it's playing a game or participating in a competition, the fear of failure can be crippling. It stops you from achieving what you are capable of. So, how do we deal with it?

In order to leap upon the fear of failure, there are at least 5 things you can do.

Face the fear of failure

When we are younger, most of us love playing baseball. But we always stay afraid of striking out. And as we grow, it gets carried with us. The reasons for this fear could be many. Maybe we don’t want to let our team down. Or maybe we worry about what others might think of our batting. I was also afraid of letting my team down when I used to play football back then. But then I realized that failure was a necessary part of the learning process. A mere moment of acceptance pushed me higher and helped me much in overcoming this demon.

Embrace the failure

To become a better athlete, you must fail. Know this. You are not an imaginary character that doesn’t fail. Even the superheroes we create fail terribly. Know that failure is not something to be afraid of. When we fail, we look at our game with more depth. So, in a way, it's an opportunity to learn and grow. Every great athlete has experienced failure and has used it to become better. It's essential to understand that you can learn just as much, if not more, from your failures than your successes.

Here is a simple example – Imagine you have a wrong stance that is not letting you hit the ball. So, when you fail to hit the ball, you are trying to think of many reasons. It could be your stance, it could be the pitcher’s quality, or anything else. When you contemplate this, you get a deeper knowledge of your game. Consequently, you explore far more areas to improve yourself than you could’ve if had you not failed. Another possibility could be the quality of your sporting goods. Bad quality equipment stops you from reaching further. If cost worries you, look for an eBay alternative.

Practice mindfulness

Stress, fear, failure, and all those terrible emotions. One of the most significant challenges athletes face is managing their thoughts and emotions. The fear of failure can be so overwhelming. It can easily lead to anxiety and even panic attacks. This is where mindfulness ascends and arrives.

Practicing mindfulness can help you manage these feelings and stay present in the moment. Staying in the present means you hold no past knowledge of fear. When you are on the ground, you feel you’re your game.

How to practice mindfulness? Focus on your breathing, acknowledge your thoughts and feelings, and then let them go. Know that it will take time to bring in changes. But the changes it’ll bring will keep hugging you lifelong.

Have realistic goals

This is something that most of us suffer from. We see Mike Trout smashing balls out of the park. At this very moment, we feel like we can do it too. Although it is good to dream, it should not be an unrealistic dream. What I mean is that you surely will hit the ball out of the park one day, but for that, you’ll have to leap many hurdles. When you set unrealistic goals, you set yourself up for failure. By setting achievable goals, you can build your confidence and develop your skills gradually. Understand that progress takes time and effort.

Take risks

Lastly, taking risks is crucial when it comes to sports. Playing it safe may keep you from making mistakes, but it can also prevent you from reaching your full potential. But don’t just go out and start doing unnatural things in the name of risks. Make sure the risks you take are well calculated. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and try new things.

Believe. With time and practice, you can overcome your fear of failure and hit those home runs.