Little children have no fears and explore the world with wild abandon. As they mature they are taught and learn to respect and even fear experiencing some life situations and activities. Often they develop the thought that to try something new and failing is embarrassing and uncomfortable and should not be attempted. That learned fear of failure then prevents them from exploring new parts of their world and learning new things.

Unfortunately, young adults carry that learned fear of failure with them as they journey into the world of work and life. In fact, the fear of failure increases as they settle into their job and take on new responsibilities in both work and life.

Progressing in their careers, they find that their security could be at risk if they rock the boat and so they set strict boundaries of behavior and interactions with other people. Those boundaries protect them from the almost certain negative consequences of perceived risky initiatives. However, the perceived risk and associated negative consequences are magnified by their fear and prevent new initiatives and thus personal learning and growth.

Fear of failure then becomes a major limiting attitude to personal growth. It stunts the development of the person's potential and greatness! It debilitates the person and leads to reduced effectiveness, productivity, and performance.

I would like to propose that there are only opportunities to gloriously experience life and learn. A person can embrace and engage in those opportunities with anticipation and joy or they can shrink from them clinging to fears of failure.

Is it your mission, purpose, and destiny to remain as you are today? Or is it your mission, purpose, and destiny to fully experience your world, learn, and grow as a human being?

Cast off every fear of failure that you hold. Become like a child again. Risk trying to build new competencies, learn new things, engage in new behaviors, and experience the world you have not experienced yet.

Take every opportunity that comes your way, embrace it, and engage in the life experience with anticipation and the joy of learning. Give thanks and gratitude for your experiences no matter what the perceived outcome.

Realize that your perceived outcome is a choice. That choice can be uncomfortable and negative or positive and growth oriented. Look forward to everything that life brings to you with joyful anticipation.

The fear of failure can be unlearned and replaced with a new attitude of positive expectancy for learning, growth, and developing more of your potential and greatness.

What would be the result for you if you embraced every new opportunity for learning and growth with positive expectancy? Why, you would feel alive, energized, enthusiastic, joyful, and filled with a great measure of positive expectation. You would find the silver lining in everything that you attempted. Life would be incredible!

Take time to reflect on your life and to identify and list the fears you have learned. Realize that learning and adopting those fears may have been necessary to creating the success you enjoy today. Be willing to part with them to create a better future.

Thank your fears and say goodbye to them for their past service. Then step out into the new world of opportunity you see and experience more of the joyful existence you were meant to live. Embrace work and life as a glorious experience with gratitude.

Blessings to you!