
Loading summary
A
Your fear of failure is holding you back. You keep stalling on that new business. You still haven't sent in that job application, and you found a million reasons to avoid publishing that video. Whatever it is, you know you have to take action. You know how to take action, but you just don't because you're afraid to fail. And I get it. I've been there. But failing over and over taught me how to reframe my thinking to get to a place where failure doesn't limit me. It fuels me. Because I wouldn't be running $100 million a year business today if I listened to fear. So I'm going to share with you what I learned so that you can get rid of your fear of failures. Welcome to the Martell Method. I went from rehab at 17 to building a $100 million empire and being a Wall Street Journal bestselling author. In this podcast, I'll show you exactly how to build a life and business you don't grow to hate. And make sure you don't miss anything by subscribing to my newsletter@martelmethod.com starting with the biggest thing people don't realize. You aren't afraid to fail. You're afraid of people seeing you fail. Most people are too busy worrying about their own problems to judge yours. And you're making everything seem like a big deal. And the truth is, they're living their own world. Called Me, Inc. It's their movie, their world. They're the main character. And you think they're all paying attention to you. I wish. Trust me, they're not. The people who matter won't judge you. And the people who judge you, they just don't matter. So here's a big reframe. Become a cheerleader, not a critic. Anytime you see somebody do something that you know scared them, praise them. Go out of their way to share their work. Go out of your way to support their work. See, the more you become a cheerleader, the less critic you have, the more you'll be inspired to put your own work out there. Because there's this positive assumption that those people are going to cheer for you. I've got a friend. He's a world class artist. He's one of the best. And he's afraid to publish his art. Ask me what his favorite activity is in the whole wide world. He enjoys doing this one thing. He leaving Google reviews of every place he's visited that day. He brags about it and no part of them has connected. The fact that leaving those reviews Evaluating other people's businesses has taught him and caused this fear that sat in his mind like a seed of doubt of him ever publishing his art for the fear of criticism or rejection of people not liking his art because he's been doing that to other people. You fear judgment of the things you judge. And trust me, everybody's dealing with the fear of failure. Everybody's dealing with the fear of being judged. And you just gotta worry about yourself. But here's what you might not understand about failure. Winners lose more than losers ever will. When I look back at my story, I realize that I failed two or three times. I'm talking like real failure, not like registered a domain for a business and it didn't work out. I call those projects. We have dozens of those failures. But most millionaires I know, almost all of them had a failed company the first time. The second time it failed, the third time, it didn't work. Finally, through that process, they learned how to become successful. Walt Disney, Henry Ford, and many others went bankrupt, full financial bankrupt before finding their big success. That's actually the norm. Even though my first two businesses were complete failures, it taught me to learn. It taught me what to look for. It taught me that I'm able to get up and keep pushing forward when the proof at that point was that I wasn't going to succeed in life. When you do that, you. You teach yourself that you can do it. See, when I think about life, it's like this metaphor of playing a game. The only time you lose the game is if you decide to stop playing the game. I went almost a decade of eating crap until finally I won. And I will tell you, that day, everybody bragged about being my friend. Everybody talked about how smart I was, how resilient I was. Oh, my God, you're so inspiring. Not a day before the moment you win, everybody forgets about all the failure and the. That's just the way it is. So if you decide to keep playing the game, then technically you can't lose. Failure is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you get. You can't build a tolerance to failure by avoiding it any more than you can build a muscle by avoiding the gym. Only way you develop that skill is to go through it. It's fun for me because I have all these young people that come to me for advice, asking me, like, how do I start? What do I got to do? And I always share the same thing. The faster you can go from idea to trying to sell something to a stranger, and they say no. Or you put some money into a project and it doesn't work. The faster you get to place and not succeed and fail only to get back up, the more exposure therapy, it's called, that you get, the better you're going to develop that muscle. Assuming you're wrong from the start is actually a more healthy way to be successful. I mean, it's so wild that in my world today, when I start a new business, I actually assume from point one that I'm wrong about something. See, most people won't start unless it's perfect. It's guaranteed. That is not how real entrepreneurs build things. Real entrepreneurs go, I think there's an opportunity here. I'm not sure how it's going to work, but I'm going to bet on me to go and figure out the right way to do it. But if you're still stuck overthinking everything, you have to understand that worry is a wasted use of your imagination. Too many people spend more time visualizing disaster than dreaming of success. It's like driving a motorcycle or snowboarding. You look where you want to go, not what you're avoiding. My buddy Mike, first time he came on my ski trip, the guide said, don't look at the trees. He's like, why? Well, if you look at the trees, you're going to hit the tree and you're going to fall in the tree. Well, and then we're going to have to dig you out if we get to you fast enough. Mike started freaking out because he doesn't want to die. And he's in the backcountry and he's looking at these trees, and he's looking at trees. Guess what happened? Mike fricking hits a tree. Freaks him out. Doesn't know if he wants to keep skiing. And we explain to him, bro, just look for the sunlight. Look for the space in between the light. Use your eyes to focus on where there is opportunity to get through the trees. And now, almost 10 years later, this guy does not worry about hitting the tree. Instead. Instead, he dreams about the big freaking kickers and he gets the grab. And he's just. He literally wins photo of the trip every time we go out. So good job, Mike. Before we get back to the episode, if you want to jumpstart your week with my top stories and tactics, be sure to subscribe to the Martel Method newsletter. It's where you'll elevate your mindset, fitness and business in less than five minutes a week. Find it@martell method.com See, I believe this. Your reality is the byproduct of your most dominant thoughts, actions and feelings. So when I'm thinking of fear, I have to tell myself fear stands for false evidence appearing real. It might feel real, but it's not factually real. Am I really going to lose everything if I make this decision? No. If you can imagine failure vividly, you can imagine success just as vividly. Think about it. If you have the power of imagination of the worst case scenario, flip it. Design the power of imagination for the best, best case scenario. My coach, Ed Mylett talks about this and he brings it to another level. He says, when you're visualizing and you're truly in that space, pretend that you're like looking at it through a camera and you're going forward and then you're zooming backwards and you're changing from black to white to color. He says, if you're truly in the energy of having received what you want, then you should be able to tell me all the minute details. He said, when you can imagine at that level of specificity, then you will receive. I just love encouraging people to ask the question. Instead of, what if I fail? Ask what if I succeed? At the end of the day, there's going to be a badge called success and there's a name written on that badge. Why not your name? Why not you? Why aren't you the person that goes, does the thing, write the book, show up, create the content, be the success person, be on the COVID of the magazine. Why not you? That's my favorite question to ask. Because if you're watching this right now, it tells me that you want it, you have a desire, and I'm telling you it's available to you. If you want to learn one simple rule that changed my life forever, click the link and I'll see you on the other side. Thanks for listening to Martell Method. If you like this episode, could you do me a huge favor and go leave a review? This helps us get the podcast more ears and helps more people get unstuck, reclaim their freedom, and build their empire.
Podcast Summary: The Martell Method w/ Dan Martell
Episode: Give Me 7 Minutes, and I’ll Delete Your Fear of Failure
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Dan Martell opens the episode by addressing a universal struggle in entrepreneurship and personal growth: the fear of failure. He empathizes with listeners who feel paralyzed by this fear, whether it's delaying a business launch, hesitating to apply for a job, or avoiding sharing creative work.
Dan Martell [00:00]: "Your fear of failure is holding you back...I wouldn't be running a $100 million a year business today if I listened to fear."
Martell introduces his own transformative journey from overcoming personal challenges at 17 to building a successful empire, positioning himself as a guide for listeners seeking to achieve similar breakthroughs without burning out.
Martell delves into the psychology behind the fear of failure, revealing that it's often rooted in the fear of being judged by others rather than the act of failing itself.
Dan Martell [02:15]: "You aren't afraid to fail. You're afraid of people seeing you fail."
He explains that most people are too absorbed in their own lives to pay attention to others' shortcomings. This misconception magnifies the fear, making failures seem more significant than they truly are.
Martell shares insights on how to reframe failure from a negative outcome to a motivating force. He emphasizes that embracing failure is essential for growth and long-term success.
Dan Martell [04:45]: "Failure is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you get."
He cites examples of iconic figures like Walt Disney and Henry Ford, who experienced multiple failures before achieving monumental success. Martell underscores that persistent failure teaches invaluable lessons that pave the way for eventual triumph.
Martell advises listeners to cultivate a supportive environment by encouraging others instead of criticizing. This positive reinforcement fosters a community where everyone feels empowered to take risks.
Dan Martell [06:30]: "Become a cheerleader, not a critic."
He shares a story about a talented artist friend who hesitates to publish his work due to fear of judgment, illustrating how negative feedback can stifle creativity and confidence.
Martell recommends expediting the process of encountering and overcoming failure to build resilience faster. By rapidly moving from idea to execution, individuals can gain exposure therapy against the fear of not succeeding.
Dan Martell [09:10]: "The faster you get to a place and not succeed and fail only to get back up, the more exposure therapy you get."
He encourages entrepreneurs to adopt a mindset where initial assumptions include potential failures, thus normalizing setbacks as part of the entrepreneurial journey.
Martell highlights the importance of visualizing success instead of dwelling on potential failures. He shares techniques inspired by his coach, Ed Mylett, to vividly imagine successful outcomes with detailed specificity.
Dan Martell [14:50]: "If you're visualizing and you're truly in that space...you should be able to tell me all the minute details."
This practice helps align one's mindset with success, making it a tangible and achievable goal rather than a distant dream.
Martell recounts a story about his friend Mike, who overcame his fear of hitting trees while skiing by shifting his focus from potential dangers to opportunities for success.
Dan Martell [11:20]: "Instead, he dreams about the big freaking kickers and he gets the grab...he literally wins photo of the trip every time we go out."
This anecdote exemplifies how changing one's focus from fear to opportunity can lead to remarkable achievements and personal growth.
Martell emphasizes that reality is shaped by dominant thoughts, actions, and feelings. By harnessing the power of positive imagination, individuals can transform their fears into actionable success.
Dan Martell [17:30]: "Your reality is the byproduct of your most dominant thoughts, actions, and feelings."
He encourages listeners to flip the script from imagining worst-case scenarios to envisioning their best possible outcomes, thereby attracting success through positive mental alignment.
Wrapping up the episode, Martell urges listeners to ask themselves empowering questions that focus on success rather than failure.
Dan Martell [20:10]: "Instead of, what if I fail? Ask what if I succeed?"
He reinforces the message that the desire for success is evident by the very fact of listening to the podcast and that taking proactive steps is the key to achieving one's goals.
Martell concludes by inviting listeners to engage further with his content through his newsletter, website, and social media channels. He emphasizes the importance of community support and continuous learning in overcoming fear and achieving business and personal success.
Dan Martell [23:00]: "If you like this episode, could you do me a huge favor and go leave a review?...help us get the podcast to more ears."
On Fear and Failure:
"Failure is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you get." [00:00]
On Visualization:
"If you're visualizing and you're truly in that space...you should be able to tell me all the minute details." [14:50]
On Success Mindset:
"Instead of, what if I fail? Ask what if I succeed?" [20:10]
Dan Martell's episode "Give Me 7 Minutes, and I’ll Delete Your Fear of Failure" offers a comprehensive guide to understanding and overcoming the fear of failure. Through personal anecdotes, practical strategies, and motivational insights, Martell empowers listeners to reframe their mindset, embrace failure as a stepping stone to success, and take actionable steps toward their goals. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or someone striving for personal growth, this episode provides valuable tools to break through barriers and achieve lasting success without burnout.
For more insights and actionable strategies, subscribe to Dan Martell’s newsletter or visit his website.