FEAR OF FAILURE
“I suspect you will find that a great many of your negative feelings are, in fact, based on thinking errors.”
- Psychiatrist and Researcher David Burns
Sometimes, we hear a little voice in our heads telling us we’re going to fail. Some people hear it so often, they can start to believe that it’s true. This is a very common and human predicament, but these feelings are not based on fact. Psychologists call these thoughts “cognitive distortions.” According to Courtney Ackerman, “These patterns and systems of thought are often subtle–it’s difficult to recognize them when they are a regular feature of your day-to-day thoughts.” There’s nothing wrong with you for feeling this way, but it can get pretty uncomfortable! Don’t worry, you’re not alone and there’s help.
Check out the slide show below for some examples of cognitive distortions. It’s followed by some ideas of what to do about it!
Journal about it:
You don’t need to show this to anyone, but these worksheets might help you work through some of the negative feelings you’re having about particular classes or school in particular.
Visualize success (instead of failure). This worksheet will help you imagine yourself doing well!
Decatastrophize. Okay, that’s a big word, but it’s a good one. Basically, what it means is that we often imagine the worst case scenario and then get caught up in a loop where we play the scenario out over and over again. This exercise will help you get out of that loop! Plus, it’s fun to say.
Replace negative self-talk. Negative thoughts don’t just go away. We need to put something in their place. This helps us do that. It’s a simple exercise, but it’s kinda life-changing!