Why do we fear failure so deeply even when we know it’s part of being human?

In this episode of The Inner Space, Sriram explores the fear of failure - how it shapes our choices, limits our growth, and how it can be transformed into one of our greatest teachers.

Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and spiritual wisdom, this conversation unpacks why our brains remember failure more vividly than success, how avoidance patterns form, and what reflection can teach us about resilience.

You’ll hear stories of athletes, writers, and leaders who turned setbacks into growth from Michael Jordan and J.K. Rowling to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and discover practical tools to meet failure with humility and curiosity instead of shame.

This episode includes:

• Insights from research on the brain’s negativity bias and learned helplessness
• Spiritual frames from the Bhagavad Gita, Richard Rohr, and the art of kintsugi
• Simple, science-backed practices to reframe failure and rebuild self-trust
• Guided visualisations to release the residue of failure from the body
• A reflection question to help you see what success never could teach

Failure doesn’t make us smaller; it makes us real.

When we stop treating it as a verdict and start seeing it as feedback, growth becomes natural, even graceful.

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