Many leaders speak about success and how to get there. Fear, however, is a topic that isn’t discussed nearly enough. If it were discussed more, it would cease to be so crippling in its grip on our mindset and perception.
Have you ever noticed that when someone goes through a trauma, one of the best ways for that trauma to lose its powerful grasp on the mind and emotions is for the victim to discuss it and get comfortable with talking about it? This rings true for any fear. Getting comfortable with it, getting closely acquainted with the things you fear – this is one of the most powerful tools you can use to work through your fear and take your power back.
Keep Your “Enemies” Closer
· If you have a close friend, coach, or therapist you can speak with about your fears, that’s good. However, if you don’t want to necessarily share your fears right away – it can be an intimidating exercise at first – then you may want to consider using a journal to get to know your fears.
· Journaling is a useful tool in life, whether you’re working through a challenge or just documenting something that happened. You may find that it takes a little time to reach the depths you need to reach to get the full positive effect of journaling, but the more often you write, the easier this exercise becomes.
· Acknowledging your fear and getting to know it better is like becoming friends with someone you find intimidating. Maybe you don’t know why they strike you as intimidating, but as you get to know this person, you may begin to find that they are – as suspected – just a person.
· Deciding to master your fears is another important step in the process. Everything begins with a decision and the commitment to follow through. This rings true if you’re quitting smoking or writing a bestseller; it doesn’t matter what you’re going to accomplish as long as you make the decision to go for it and commit to the process.
This brings me to the last point I’d like to make about fear. It’s been said that many people are afraid of success; not consciously, of course, but subconsciously. Part of the reason for that is that most of us have a distinct impression of what it means to “get there.” When things don’t go as planned or new opportunities arise while we’re on our journey, we can get confused or sidetracked.
No matter what your version of success is, remember to enjoy the journey itself and take joy in the process. If new opportunities find you, don’t be afraid to take them on as you have the time to. Although it helps to stay focused mainly on your ultimate path, you may find that working on two or three different paths or projects can keep you from experiencing burnout because you have variety along your journey.
“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” – Alice Morse Earle
