….I learned about this word a while back… and, putting up my hand, I suffer from it.
You too, if you’re honest.
What is it?
It’s a fear of failure. A long word to say a simple phrase…but keep it in mind for your next Scrabble match, it’s worth 41 points.
It’s something that held me back for the longest of time.
What if it goes wrong? What’ll people think of me? What if they don’t like my writing? Oh God, please don’t leave a bad review.
All those thoughts of failure used to hold me back from doing what I should have been doing.
Another one was Telephobia.
Yep, a fear of using the phone.
I used to clam up on the phone, and either say the least amount I could, or not even answer it unless I knew who the caller was.
My wife used to throw her eyes up when I asked her to answer the phone.
But it had a hold over me.
Want to know how I got over it?
…got a job working in a call centre.
Bit extreme, I know.
The first day on the phone was a nightmare for me. The second day it got better, the third day it wasn’t even
on my mind when I was talking to customers.
And these weren’t the best of customers to deal with. Some of them had had their gas or electric cut off and I had to deal with all the effing and blinding.
But it worked, I don’t suffer from it.
Well, I lie… it is there a little bit…but I recognise it for what it is and push through it.
Some of you are letting thoughts and phobias like those hold you back.
Things is… we think we’re the only ones with these problems.. we’re not.
We’re all a little screwy in the head.
If you’re not, you’re lying to yourself.
We believe stupid things about ourselves
and our limitations.
Push through it…
…what you want is on the other side.
Keep pushing.
PS – Want to push through the limit that you can’t be a published children’s author? Go here.
