The Power of Facing Fear and Embracing Failure in Your Career

One golden piece of career advice that profoundly impacted my life came from my first Commanding Officer (CO) when I was posted to a forward post on the North East border. During my leave, he entrusted me with a task that I delegated to a junior without verifying the outcome. Upon his questioning, I had to humbly confess that I had not checked the task myself. With a deep breath, he offered me a piece of wisdom that has stayed with me ever since: “Whatever you have not seen, take it as if it is not there.” This lesson emphasized the importance of personal accountability and thoroughness in one's work. I heeded his advice and confirmed the task, learning a valuable lesson in the process.

In the realm of Samurai literature, the concept of “The way of the warrior is death” teaches us that true strength lies in accepting one's own mortality. A Samurai lives in a world where every moment is punctuated by the fragility of life. The invincibility of the warrior comes not from fearlessness, but from the absence of fear—a willingness to face death without hesitation. This ethos can be translated into the professional world as well, where one must embrace the uncertainty of career choices and the possibility of failure.

When I embarked on my latest career journey, I was acutely aware of the high stakes involved. Most new hires are given about a year to prove themselves before potential termination. I adopted a mindset that I would be fired at least once in my career, and by accepting this as a reality, I gained a sense of liberation. This helped me to approach my work with unparalleled confidence and dedication. Over the span of 39 years, I worked for three different companies, and I was never fired—not because I avoided problems, but because I faced them head-on with the attitude that I was already "fired."

Embracing this mindset has extended beyond the professional realm into personal life as well. For instance, when approaching a dating scenario, the fear of rejection is often compounded by the perceived value of the other person. However, by accepting that rejection is a certainty, one can approach each interaction with a sense of nonchalance. The beauty of this approach is that it can make every attempt more authentic and less tied to the outcome's impact on self-esteem. If you tell yourself that you are going to get turned down, it becomes a certainty, and the more valuable the person, the higher the likelihood of rejection. By releasing the fear of rejection, you open yourself up to forming genuine connections.

The lesson from the Samurai and the CO's advice are encapsulated in the profound words by Elana Arian: “The most important things are on the other side of fear.” By facing and accepting fear, we can unlock our true potential and achieve greater success in our careers and personal lives.

In conclusion, whether it is learning from a CO, the philosophy of the Samurai warrior, or the wisdom of accepting rejection, the common thread is the power of facing fear and embracing failure. By doing so, we not only grow but also achieve true invincibility and success.