How to Overcome Your Fear of Failure in Business (8 Steps)

Failure.

That word can be so scary. So, how do you overcome the fear of failure and not let it hold you back?

When I started my first online business, I felt paralyzed by it.

But despite all that, I overcame my fear of failure in business and scaled to over six figures BEFORE I left my job.

Lean in because I’m about to share the steps to eliminate that fear and successfully achieve your business goals.

You can also find more in this video:

What causes fear of failure?

Before we get started, let’s talk about what causes a fear of failure in business:

• Your upbringing: Growing up in an environment where success is the only option and emotional support isn’t readily available leads to an internalized fear of failure.
• Past failures: Failure chips away at our self-confidence and belief in our abilities, which makes us afraid of it happening again. 
• Perfectionism: Perfectionists have incredibly high expectations for themselves. The possibility they won’t meet them creates an intense fear of failure.
• Mental health: Not properly caring for mental health or struggling with negative thoughts from things like anxiety or depression distorts reality and makes failure seem like the only option.

Now, let’s discuss the top signs you have a fear of failure.

The top signs you have fear of failure

How do you know if you have a fear of failure in business?

You might have it if you:

• Procrastinate
• Give up after rejection
• Care about what others think
• Stay in your comfort zone, or don’t take risks
• Struggle with feedback
• Self-sabotage to “prove” that your fear of failure in business is justified
• Focus on perfection

Let’s talk about how to overcome it.

How to overcome the fear of failure in business in 8 steps

The fear of failure in business is, well, bad for business.

It keeps you from taking risks and chasing your goals.

Why? Because it leads to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, which undermines your confidence and motivation.

And that limits your potential for growth and success.

So, you have to find ways to overcome the fear of failure in business. 

Here’s how to do it.

Accept your fear 

First of all, remember that it’s okay to have a fear of failure in business. 

I had it, too! 

I was afraid of looking stupid, outgrowing my partner, failing my clients, and being seen, just to name a few.

But I learned how important it is not to deny, ignore, or suppress those fears.

The truth is, fear is normal and can actually be a great motivator.

You just have to accept it and find ways to overcome it.

For example, even though I feared outgrowing my partner, I didn’t want to sacrifice my personal growth. 

So we grew together, and I’ve built an eight-figure business since!

And when I didn’t want to give up my privacy, I found ways to do it without putting too much of myself out there.

I talk more about these and other fears in this video:

Visualize what you’re working towards 

Visualization is one of the best ways to achieve your goals.

It helps reduce anxiety, builds confidence, reinforces positive thinking, and drives focus and determination.

But you have to know exactly what you’re working toward.

So, I want you to close your eyes and imagine the life you’re working toward.

Ask yourself:

• What’s a normal day for you?
• Where are you? 
• Who are you with? 
• How much money do you make? 
• How is your work-life balance?

When you know exactly where you want to be, you can start taking steps to get there.

And if you need help setting goals, check out this guide.

Stop seeing failure as the endpoint 

Early on, every little failure and rejection felt like a physical blow.

I remember one time I submitted a segment idea to a popular podcast and was absolutely certain I’d be invited to be a guest. 

For weeks, I’d check my email and obsessively hit refresh, waiting for the reply I knew was coming.

It never came – but the pitch rejection did:

I remember thinking I couldn’t succeed. Because of this ONE rejection.

Thank goodness I didn’t give up, though. 

Because after that, I had about 50 more failures, including two months where I spoke with almost 30 people who said they couldn’t afford me.

However, because I didn’t let those failures get to me and didn’t give up, I got a yes at person #31.

I’m talking lightly about it now, but at the time, those failures and rejections were the most painful thing in the world.

I’m sharing this because I want you to see that for every success, many failures have to happen first.

So, shift your thinking from seeing each failure as a confirmation that you can’t succeed. 

Instead, accept that it is simply part of the process. And use the next method to even further adjust how you view it.

Imagine the worst that could happen

Whenever I feel fear creeping up, this is the question I always go back to:

Really, what’s the worst thing that can happen?

I was so scared when I first started posting content on social media and sharing my knowledge with the world. I’m a huge introvert and super sensitive, so nothing about my personality helped.

But, here’s how I thought about it…

What’s the worst thing that can happen?

I’ll still be okay if I write something and no one responds. I’ll have my job and a roof over my head. Maybe people will laugh at me and think I’m dumb, but that’s not so bad if that’s the worst-case scenario.

I did the same thing when I thought about failing in my business. What if no one wanted to buy from me? Ever?

Well, I remember thinking very clearly to myself even though, at the time, I really wanted to leave my 9-5…

You know what? Even if I can’t make this work, I have a job. Or I can get another one.

I knew that, even if I failed in the worst way I could imagine, I’d still have my life, health, and the people I cared about.

When you think about it that way, that fear isn’t so scary anymore, right?

Remove the emotion from failure

I want you to remember two things about failure.

One: It’s not about you.

Seriously! It took me forever to realize this, but it’s never about you when someone rejects you.

When I first started, I was rejected HUNDREDS of times. Some people said I wasn’t a good fit for them, and others thought I was too expensive for their budget.

But it wasn’t about me – it was about what they weren’t comfortable with. 

Hear more about why rejection is actually helpful in this short video:

And two: Failure doesn’t mean you’re falling behind.

Everybody feels like they’re falling behind, regardless of where they are in their business journey. 

I talk more about it in this video:

At the end of the day, failure is just part of the entrepreneurial journey. Why let it stop you from trying at all?

I try to instill in every client I work with an attitude of embracing failure and seeing it as a learning opportunity.

And when something doesn’t go as well as hoped, I have epic spreadsheets to track everything. I can go back to figure out exactly what went wrong so I can fix it.

Being able to take emotion out of the fear of failure is one of the key differentiators my most successful students who build the business and life of their dreams share.

And I’m sharing this with you in the hope you’ll be able to do the same for yourself.

Learn from your failures  

Early in my career, I failed.

A LOT.

One of my earliest ventures was creating mobile payment systems for newspapers.

It was a great idea. 

But I had no idea how to sell.

I cold-called over 100 publishers – and got over 100 no’s in a row.

And that was just the start! When I started my current business, I got told no dozens of times because I looked too young to hire.

I talk more about this experience in this video:

Now, I could have walked away and given up. But instead, I realized it was part of the process and decided to take action.

So, I sat down and made a plan for the next time I got rejected, which involved getting to the root of the rejection. 

Was it the wrong person? The wrong offer? 

Was there anything I could have done to improve the pitch?

Then, I gave myself time to wallow before focusing on the actions I could take, like figuring out who could gain value from working with me.

All of a sudden, pitching was a much more enjoyable process – and that end goal stopped feeling impossible. 

I’ll teach you more about shifting to actions in this guide.

Maintain beliefs that serve you 

Your beliefs are your reality. 

That’s true for the limiting beliefs causing your fear of failure in business, too.

Let’s say you’re trying to price a coaching package and aren’t sure you can ask for $1,500 per month.

If you go into it thinking, “Why would anyone pay me $1,500 per month? I’m not worth that much money!”

…They won’t. And you won’t be.

It creates a cycle.

You won’t ask for $1,500 per month, so you’ll never GET $1,500 per month. And because you won’t get it, you’ll never believe you’re worth it.

Here’s how limiting beliefs create a fear of failure in business:

That’s why it’s so important to only believe the things that serve you!

Of course, letting go of limiting beliefs is easier said than done. The best way to do it?

Start believing you can succeed right now.

Then, focus only on the things supporting that belief.

I’ll tell you more about overcoming limiting beliefs in this guide.

Have a growth mindset  

The truth is, there’s always going to be room to grow, regardless of where you are in your business.

So, shift to a growth mindset!

Why?

Because you’ll better understand where you are in the process and focus only on what will fuel your growth.

But having that mindset doesn’t just happen overnight – you have to actively work to keep a growth mindset.

I always recommend using affirmations, visualizations, or journaling, but you’ll find what works best for you as you explore.

What’s next?

There you have it! Everything you need to overcome your fear of failure in business.

That business and the life you want are waiting for you…IF you’re willing to overcome that fear of failure.

Because ultimately, when you weigh your dreams against your fears, I know you’ll find your dreams are bigger and more powerful. 

Ready to take the next step toward making them a reality?

I’ll help you do it with my FREE guide:

Read more:

Imposter Syndrome: Here’s How to Deal With it

Foolproof Steps to Succeed in Business

How to Get Coaching Clients Fast