Have you ever been so afraid of failing at an exam that you just skipped it altogether? Fear of Failure is paralyzing. It leads to missed opportunities, inactivity, and low self-esteem.

But don’t let the fear of failing an exam take over your life. Here are 5 proven ways to help you overcome this fear and create a healthier mindset.

Identify the Root Cause of your Fear

Examine your negative beliefs. Where does your fear of exams originate from? Take some time, sit down and introspect. Ask yourself the tough questions.

Is the fear legit?
How did you develop this fear?
Is it making your life better or worse?
And finally, what is the real cause behind your fear of failing exams?

Once you figure out the real reason behind your fear of failure, you’ll realize that it sounds silly and you’ve fretting over nothing. Examining your negative beliefs is not easy, and requires a lot of courage. But it is definitely worth doing if you want live your life to the fullest.

Remind yourself that Failure is Temporary

Failure may feel permanent but it is nothing more than a temporary setback. The consequences of failure are never as bad as you imagine. Always remember that failing an exam is nothing more than a road bump. It is not the end of your life. Instead try to look at failure as feedback. When you fail an exam, you get to analyze where you went wrong which helps you prepare better for the next attempt.

Overcome all-or-nothing Mindset

All-or-nothing thinking or perfectionism is away thinking that pushes you towards unrealistic goals. Perfectionism is often seen as a strength, but being too much of a perfectionist can sometimes lead to self-defeating thought patterns. Too much perfectionism may lead to anxiety, fear of failure, and low self-esteem among other mental health issues.

If you’re struggling with perfectionism, start with slowly challenging your behavior. List down things you believe should be done perfectly. Next write the reasons why you believe that activity must be perfect. And at last, write down the consequences if things don’t turn out as planned.

When you write things down, you’ll be able to see through your negative beliefs and tackle them with better understanding.

Work towards building a Healthy Self-Esteem

When you have healthy self-esteem, you don’t see failure as a dead end but as a stepping stone to success. Work of shifting your perspective. Failure is inevitable. Even the most brilliant brains have faced failure. And who said failure is a bad thing? Failure is actually a blessing in disguise. Failure, not a success, teaches you lessons worth learning Exams. Welcome failure. Befriend your fears. Only then can you overcome them.

Start Exercising and Meditating

Join a gym. Go on a run. Work-out. Exercise releases endorphins which are natural painkillers, and help you combat stress in a much healthier way. Meditation is a great way to calm your mind and prepare yourself to face your fears with courage. When you meditate, you free your mind from anxious thoughts and become much more aware of yourself and your surroundings. Your breathing slows down, your mind stops racing and your pulse rate drops to a healthier level.