Feel the Failure and Do It Anyway

For the longest time the previous iteration of this post, ironically named “Why Is It So Hard to Start?” sat empty in my Google Drive. The blank document reflected my blank stare as the guilt of not fully comprehending the answer, much like the weather this year, washed over me. I wanted to see the light in the starkness of that bright white screen, but all I saw was yet another project falling by the wayside.

As a multipotentialite you may have so many ideas that you want to start but never do. It goes without saying that there just isn’t enough time for everything, so naturally some projects go on the backburner to be revisited another day. But what if you literally can’t start anything? Some things you may long to do so badly and yet some invisible resistance holds you back. What is that?! And why does it affect us so? 

If you’re similar to me, an ambitious multipod, then there’s probably a whole host of thoughts swimming around your brain vying to keep you squarely in your comfort zone. In this post I’m going to cover the main one for me, and I suspect of a lot of you out there – the fear of failure!

By the end of the next two posts you’re going to be able to:

• Identify whether the fear of failure is holding you back from exploring your multipotentiality 
• Reframe what failure means to you
• Pick something you’ve been curious to try
• Take the first exploratory step towards doing it. 

I’m in this with you. Whether you have your sights set on career change or want to start a new hobby, we’re going to finally get out of our heads, build our sense of worth, and take one small action towards living a more creative life. Let’s dive in!

I’m hedging a bet that, as a high achiever, the fear of failure is a big one for you too. 

Depending on a few things your definition of failure may range from mild underwhelm to catastrophic disaster, but wherever it lies on the scale, the disappointment can feel unbearable! As you hone your multipotentialite powers you’ll come to appreciate that failure is part and parcel of multipod life, occurring on the regular. You’ll even come to embrace it, as hard as that may seem. But as a beginner multipod, or a beginner anything, it’s tough. Especially when you’ve relied heavily on your ability to achieve to get you where you are in life. Let’s change that.

The fear is real

I recently posed the question online, “What scares (or scared) you the most about leaving clinical dentistry?” (You could substitute clinical dentistry for any profession). Within seconds a suggestion was made – the fear of not being any good at anything else. This comment alone garnered universal agreement it seemed. I concurred, but suggested that perhaps we weren’t so great at dentistry to begin with. Less popular, in fact it received zero engagement. These metrics are revealing. They highlight the heavy judgement we place on ourselves when things don’t go to plan.

Dentistry is rife with feelings of inadequacy. Unhappy dentist A, who spent the best part of a decade at least (!) skilling up to provide the best general care they can for their local community, feels like an unambitious loser because they see the highly renowned cosmetic work (not including Turkey teeth!) plastered across social media.

Similarly, unfulfilled specialist B at the top of their game, having gained notoriety after amassing even more years of dental knowledge and life experience, feels like they’ve boxed themselves into a profession so specific they couldn’t possibly branch out into anything else. Many dentists judge their role as too niche to be of value to any other industry.

Both examples totally negate their skills and experience, the perception of starting out new has them frozen and unwilling to try. 

Celebrate yourself

Recognising you aren’t starting from ground zero, and using the skills and experience that have been taken for granted to propel you into a new era is certainly one way to tackle the fear of failure.

Let’s not beat about the bush, being a professional is hard. Being a dentist is damn hard! You’re a doctor, an engineer, an artist, a psychotherapist, a mechanic, a carer, a leader, an entrepreneur, a healer, a student, a teacher, a project manager, a reasoner, critical thinker and many more all rolled into one, not to mention a contortionist too! You are the ultimate multitasker, and you do all this with a smile on your face, even when you’re having a bad day or feeling like you’re dying inside. Everything you have achieved in this profession, whether it’s your calling or not, is nothing short of extraordinary.

You are worthy, and frankly capable, of having the life you want in whatever field you choose. You’ve done it all before from nothing, you’ll do it again from where you are now. Every $£$£ you ever made is down to you, and that needs celebrating!

I’m going to quote my friend and fellow multipotentialite dentist Peggy Christian, who is now an entrpreneur and coach. She said this in an interview for her first non-clinical role… Repeat after me… 

“If I can do dentistry, I can do anything!”  

That’s all for now and hopefully something tangible you can use to get start. Join me next time to take it to the next level to conquer you fear of failure for good!

I would love to hear what you’re working on and if you found this helpful you can comment below or send me a message via the contact form.