How I Deal With my Fear of Failure as a Yoga Teacher & Sound Healer

Wellness

Jul 30

Written By Lindsay Monal

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about failure.

All the things I’ve tried and tried and just couldn’t get off the ground.

Recently this has taken the form of retreat(s) that I’ve had to cancel because no one signed up…

Events and programs I’ve poured my heart and soul into to receive a lukewarm response…

And don’t even get me started on all the instagram posts I share that get 30 likes if I’m lucky.

On some days, these little failures are enough to get me down.

To make me feel like I’m not on the right path, or to second guess myself around what I’m doing in this life.

In these moments where it just feels easier to give up, or curl back into hiding from the world, in a safe bubble where I don’t put myself out there, and therefore can’t get hurt, I look to the greats for inspiration.

NBA Legend, Michael Jordan missed 12,345 shots in his career. That’s 12,345 times the ball left his hands and didn’t go in.

But do you know how many he made? 12,192.

One of the greatest athletes of all time missed more shots than he made. And yet, he’s remembered as a legend, not a failure.

I’ve tried and failed at so many things. I’ve fumbled my words, embarrassed myself, and had moments where I questioned everything. And you know what? Every single one of those moments has led me to where I am today.

It’s easy to let failure stop us in our tracks. It’s easy to listen to the critic in our head or the voices around us telling us why we won’t succeed.

But the truth is, failure is proof that we are in the arena, that we are showing up, that we are doing the work.