We know failure all too well from an outsider’s perspective. What do I mean? I mean more often than not, we are looking at it rather than experiencing it.
Sure most of us have experienced failure here and there… It doesn’t feel pleasant… that’s why we are avoiding it like plague. And I don’t just mean trying not to fail. When we fail, we try to forget it, erase it, and dismiss anything that comes with it as if we are trying to edit it out of our lives. We don’t embrace it, that’s what I mean by “outsider perspective”. Sometimes we are soooooo focused on not failing that we forgot to aim for success, settling for mediocre life instead of striving for greatness.
Before we go any further, I have got to say, the most important thing is happiness. If you are TRULY happy where you are, then nothing else matters, keep living your happy life! But if you don’t, maybe it is time to look at failure from the other side.
Most successful people’s careers are plagued with failures but only a handful of them are proud enough to own up to their imperfections. Why? Because our society doesn’t reward failure. After all, it is those failed attempts that propel them towards their success. Perhaps a better question is to ask why are we so afraid to reveal our failure? But that’s a question for another time.
Instead of standing around looking at the prospect of potential failure and saying “Nope!” because you are too busy thinking about how it’s going to affect your “perfect” image, I say: jump in the ring with it! Oh, that sounds scary? Well, it should be! Nothing worth having comes easy! Or if it does, you won’t cherish it and soon it will be gone. As performers, especially actors, we must be friends with failure because we will encounter it countless times before succeeding, so brace yourself.
I know the thought of failing can be scary for us old and new faces alike. It makes us worry, fearful and anxious. So here are a few thoughts… or you can call them tips.
A great secret to embracing failure is to be willing to learn from it. Going into the battle knowing you will find a lesson from it no matter the outcome.
“‘Decide whether or not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worrying.” said Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Ask yourself, “What happens if I fail?” But more importantly, ask yourself, “What can I do if I fail?” It can make you worry at first, but once you know what you can do, that will comfort you. The key lies in understanding where the fear of failure stems from.
The thing is, if we try to avoid failure, we will avoid risks. Without risks, there’s no creativity. Without creativity, can we really call our work art? Without taking risks, you will never achieve anything that others haven’t achieved before. But above all, you will never achieve anything YOU haven’t achieved before. How do you deal with your fear of failure? Share with us in the comment section.