Although you should try to start your day on an upbeat note, spend some time asking yourself what might happen during the day that you’re afraid of— failure to complete a big project at work, for example, or rejection by someone you’d like to date.

Then think of what you could do to prevent failure from happening. Be on the lookout for behaviors and thoughts that add to your fear, and train yourself to change your patterns of action and thinking.

Finally, pay attention to what you learn about failure as you confront it. Use the experience of facing and overcoming your fear to confront and defeat the obstacles you face every day.