To feel anxious when one attempts something new is natural, it becomes a problem though when it stops us from achieving our goals. When it grows into a feeling that we just don’t seem to be able to shake off.
Mistakes are a big cause of anxiety. We all make mistakes. It is natural. The trick is to learn from them. Ask yourself, ‘What can I learn from this? How can I learn from this?’
‘Make Mistakes’ might be a goal worth considering. At the least, it deserves to be called a New Year resolution. Why? As Einstein said, “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” Mistakes are the essence of learning. As people encounter new things and develop new skills, they will make mistakes. Mistakes or failure must not be seen as incompetence but as growth challenges – necessary for learning.
Mistakes must become opportunities to learn and grow. Have the courage to say to yourself – ‘I am going to practice thinking differently’. Although, learning from mistakes cannot be automatic, we can teach ourselves that they are an important part of the learning process. How many things you know were actually invented by mistake – Penicillin, Fire-crackers, Velcro, Potato Chips, X-ray images, even Plastic and Ice-cream!
Having some fear of mistakes might be a good thing as it may actually help performance enhancement. But excessive fear could cause problems. Avoiding fear-provoking situations, social meetings – dating, presentations, etc., and procrastinating about not being able to complete a task.
A helpful tool to overcome mistakes is – Repeated and frequent practice. Over time, you start to feel more comfortable with making mistakes. Don’t be discouraged if your anxiety doesn’t lessen right away, this is normal and expected. Keep trying and repeating as frequently as you can.
Never think that you cannot conquer your anxiety. You can. Just imagine a life without anxiety.
“Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” -Charles Spurgeon
Circles In The Sand 