Ooof, this hits me right between the eyes. How many times have I hesitated to do what’s on my heart, to take a step forward, or to take a leap into something new because of that FEAR of failure? I will admit, many times. How about you? How many times have I made up an excuse (that is totally legit, btw) but when I get to the bottom of the matter, it’s really because I’m afraid to fail? 

Here are some steps I have been taking to face my very real fear of failure: 

• Acknowledging it is the first step and hey, new things are scary! Remember last week when I talked about our innate fear of change? (check it here if you missed it)
• The next step I have been taking is asking myself, is this fear real or am I imagining it to be worse than it is/will be? 
• I say it out loud to someone other than myself and this can be hard too! But saying it to someone else gets me out of my head and helps me start to move past the fear. 
• I switch the script from failure to learning. Maybe I will try something and “fail” but if I learn from it or use it as information rather than letting it define my worth, I am not as afraid to try! 

Let me know if you have a fear of failure too! Does it prevent you from taking chances on things important to you? How are you dealing with it? 

P.S. If Julia had let the fear of failure drive her decisions, would we even have on of the world’s greatest and most loved chefs??? 

The other day I was with a friend who had recently been at a meeting where I was presenting my “State of the Town” Address. She and I were talking about the questions and discussions that happened once my formal talking points were over. She noted that one of the questions asked had no solution to be offered but that my response was perfect. I responded by listening, understanding the angst and fear behind the question, and offering empathy and compassion as a result. I didn’t try to say everything was going to be alright or that we could fix it but I acknowledged the person and what was really behind the question. 

I hadn’t even remembered that part of the question and answers until she reminded me of it. I don’t share this story to toot my own horn or say that I amazing all the time, but rather to offer an example of where empathy and compassion play a KEY role as a leader. We are often looked to for the answers and solutions when they may not exist or may not be possible with whatever resources we have and that’s hard. But the willingness to listen and acknowledge folks with an open mind and heart are how we lead our organizations, teams, and communities to better decisions and outcomes. 

SHE Se Puede: Honoring Latina Trailblazers

Calling all my Girl Scouts! 🙋🏻‍♀️ Check out this article in general but especially the short video interviewing Dolores Huerta about the influence Girl Scouts had on her life. As a Gold Award recipient and Girl Scout for Life (that’s a real designation 😂), I love reflecting on what factors from childhood have now influenced me as an adult and how Girl Scouts was one of those key activities that shaped who I have become! 

These badass Latinas are inspiring!