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A PROGRAM OF THE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION
 

IOM Blog

May 26, 2015

Tackle Your Demons to Reach the Goal Line

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. – Henry Ford

An acquaintance of mine had an opportunity to interview the late, great actor Vincent Price about 30 years ago, but though she admired Price’s work, she handed the assignment to someone else. That writer had a pleasant interview with Price, followed by a private breakfast with him.

Why did my acquaintance avoid this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Price, who was renowned for his deep, distinctive voice, had asked that the interview take place by phone, and she had been teased often about her voice sounding child-like. Without meeting him face-to-face, she feared he would not take her seriously.

To this day, she regrets letting her demons stop her from doing the interview.

Fear of failure (atychiphobia ) can be immobilizing; it can prevent you from achieving your goals, moving up in your career, and seizing opportunities that come along.

Everyone experiences some degree of this, rooted in causes both big and small. It could be a mistake made earlier in your career that led to disastrous results; lack of job security; experiencing unemployment; encountering an environment in which you were undermined or humiliated;  growing up in a critical, unsupportive family, or, like my acquaintance, sensitivity over a self-perceived flaw.

Take action

Allowing your demons to weigh on you can inhibit your productivity, bringing about exactly the failure you fear. You may feel anxious or insecure, so you procrastinate or avoid big projects. Conversely, you may become a perfectionist, only taking on work you know you can finish successfully, thereby limiting your effectiveness. You’re allowing fear of failure to sabotage your work.

While no one can banish their inner demons altogether, you can tackle them before they bring you down.

You can take action to minimize fear, especially when you’re poised to take a big step or embark on an important project. Never jump in blindly; instead, consider all potential outcomes, including the worst-case scenario. Plan ahead for ways to handle difficulties that might come along. Knowing you have a contingency plan can give you more confidence about moving forward.

Set realistic, achievable goals

Lofty goals can trigger fear of failure, but you still can reach them. Map out small, achievable goals for yourself that will move you forward — each one you accomplish will build your self-confidence and keep you from being overwhelmed by the vision of your ultimate objective.

If you stumble along the way, don’t dwell on the defeat. Instead, view it as a learning experience. If something goes wrong, accept responsibility and then analyze the causes. Learn from your errors to avoid repeating them.

Remember, everyone has a choice: you can choose to let fear stop you, or choose to tackle your demons and reach your goals.

 

Charles V. Firlotte
Charles V. Firlotte
Faculty, Institute for Organization Management
CEO, Aquarion Water Company

Charles “Chuck” Firlotte is president and chief executive officer of Aquarion Company, the seventh largest investor-owned water utility in the USA, serving three northeastern states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Under his leadership, Aquarion Company has led all regulated utilities in the State of Connecticut in customer service for five successive years, and in late 2011 Hearst Newspapers identified Aquarion as number two in “Top Places to Work.” He also led Aquarion in achieving the Connecticut Quality Improvement Award, the state equivalent of the prestigious national Baldrige award for excellence in efficiency and service delivery. Known for his visionary and strategic skills, Chuck is a frequent speaker on the role of technology as a key enabler of operational efficiency and on the critical need for infrastructure investment in the U.S. and Canada.

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