“Sorry, Ulric," I whispered. "I've learned to fear someone else more than I do you."
He frowned. "Who?"
"The man... I used to be.”
― Brandon Sanderson, The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
Fear is universal. Every living being is adhered to this experience but little do we understand no matter how fearsome we are of anything, there is nothing greater than fearing ourselves, our very soul. Once infected, it shapes our every movement, every decision— even the most promising ones. And in most cases, the fear of failure determines our potential— we fear stepping forward or embarking on new challenges as it can easily influence our emotional stability.
But, once again, it’s a part of our journey.
Somewhere in our mind resides the hesitation and self-doubt— whether we can accomplish something. What if we cannot? What if the endeavour turns into a failure? It haunts us like a phantom; invisibly but strongly. Gradually it overpowers our passion, dreams, aspirations; destroys our potential or what we are supposed to be. It’s a symptom that even the bravest of all suffers from. While it takes courage to get beyond, being resilient also pays off. Even before that, being immune to criticism comes in handy.
It’s the indomitable spirit within us that requires reawakening in the first place.
Often ignored, failure in something gives birth to a thread of uncertainty. It opens up the portal to vulnerability of our character. But this is also the same time when our dear ones are exposed to their bare behaviour, without masks of sweet talks and pretending facets of helpfulness. This is the moment when we learn to reevaluate the genre of our relationships, either forging the existing connections furthermore or letting go. Although it’s a struggling period, the authenticity of our connections with people around us is tested at its best. And in most cases, the numbers shrink.
No wonder aspiring people have few friends before succeeding.
But the journey isn’t smooth without friends around. Supportive friends. Hesitation makes us confused, heart pounds to its peak, restlessness conquers, mind gets puzzled, wits get blunt, and silence surrounds us with its ominous tapestry. Despite that, the promise of better tomorrow winks, and the seed of a greater transformation towards establishment is sown— the cloud on our mind gets cleared with every single day heading to accomplishment.
Failure is not the end but the fear of failure is. We might overcome failure with external help but to overcome the fear of failure, we need to look inside. It has to come from us, the very soul we cherish with our dearest love. With the sense of acceptance of the unknown, we must set sail towards uncertainty— but, of course, with a passion and a well-versed plan that can turn the menacing foe into a scholarly mentor if necessary.
Not that it’s readily accessible, but being determined to throw a pack of punch at the right time will do just fine.
