Overcoming Our Crippling Fear of Failure

In 2013, I took the plunge. I left a steady day job and dove headlong into freelancing as a writer — a mix of corporate and entertainment writing.

Wow, was that first step scary.

And a year and a half later, I wouldn’t be honest if I said I still didn’t have days where I felt like breathing into a brown paper bag to suppress the panic.

So how do I overcome the fear of failure on those days?

Here’s a worthy header:

Memorize Scripture and Repeat It As If Your Life Depended On It

Starting your own business when you’ve got a family to support is, well, terrifying.

And eventually I had to admit that I can’t overcome fear — at least not in my own strength — and I can’t always stop the knee-jerk emotions that well up in my heart.

But I can combat fear when it tries to clutch my throat and squeeze the hope out of me.

And I accomplish that with the only Sword powerful enough to slice through fear in an instant: the Word of God.

Here’s a sound doctor’s prescription for you: memorize and meditate on Psalm 107:5-7 in the morning and Philippians 4:6-9 in the evening. Repeat these verses, chew on them, meditate on them in the morning and evening every day. This alone will deal a devastating blow to fear in your life.

Assuming you have a relationship with God — and if you don’t, read my thoughts on that here — these verses will remind you Who is with you and Who cares for you as you navigate the journey of your business and/or freelancing career.

Psalm 107:5-9, New King James Version:

Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
⁶ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
⁷ And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
⁸ Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
⁹ For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Philippians 4:6-9 (NKJV):

 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.