Fear of failure?

Question

Why is it that people procrastinate to put off their feelings about fear of failure yet procrastination only increases the chance that they will fail?

Answer 1

I don't understand what you mean by "putting off their feelings about fear of failure." Fear is an emotion (a feeling), one of the six basic emotions you are born with, and an emotion just happens you cant "put it off" or control it. You can however control what you do about an emotion or feeling. Do you mean they put off, procrastinate about, doing something about their emotion (feeling) of fear of failure?

I agree that the only way you can overcome a fear is by facing up to its cause. But I also recognize that fears sometimes can arise from irrational causes, like subconsciously believing if you fail you will be laughed at or ostracized. These unconscious fears sometimes are very difficult to face without psychotherapy to help recognize them as irrational and that they are not real causes you can conquer.

I knew a guy once that was so insecure that he wouldn't apply for or accept an admission to a University because he believed any University that would accept him was not worth attending. His fear was unconscious and irrational because he was a good student but with an overweening sense of perfection.

An unconscious sense that regarded his good marks as not good enough and that they were so poor by his irrational standards that any University, he unconsciously feared, should recognize right off he was no good. He procrastinated about applying until he underwent psychotherapy.

Hope this helps you understand, good health, peace and love!