4 Actionable Tips You Can Use to Cope With Fear

Estimated Reading Time: 3:48 min

We know that becoming a leader can be terrifying, thrilling, and fantastic. Fear grips leaders. They don't display it. Still, they do. They take a chance when they inspire and motivate others. It is normal to feel terrified, worried, and apprehensive. But in this situation, leaders are free to do what they do best: encourage their team members when they're down, believe in them and give them the freedom to be whom they want to be, push them to their limits, and give them opportunities to fail. Learn. And repeat the process.

A leader without fear is either not moving a company ahead or needs to appropriately assess the risks associated with their actions. Fear is a positive thing. People look confused and doubt when this claim is made. Since the beginning of our life, we have been taught that feeling fearful signals weakness and vulnerability. Most people would contend that these aren't qualities of exceptional leadership. That is very faulty reasoning.

I see fear as the outcome of an action. Fear is triggered when we push past our comfort zone, either individually or organizationally. It signifies that we are willing to confront our doubt and anxiety to advance the company's purpose and vision. It indicates someone putting the company's betterment ahead of their self-interest.

I am no different that any other leader out there. When I started to lead, I feared the most speaking in public followed by fear of failure and finally fear of hearing No from my clients and manager. I'm sharing with you some coping mechanisms I used to overcome them.

Face Your Fear by Exposing Yourself to It.

The more you talk and face it, the less awful it seems.?

For example, I was scared when I started to be a keynote speaker. It terrified me. To face the terror public speaking caused me, I?found a trustworthy person to practice with, a coach. You can try a friend or a colleague. My coach helped me navigate my speech and offered helpful critiques. Another option is to enrol in acting lessons to prepare you for criticism from others and to make you comfortable with stage and public presence.

There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure. – Paulo Coelho (n.d.)

You may also journal about it. Journalling is a terrific method to get your ideas and feelings down on paper, so they don't just keep rattling around in your mind and giving you anxiety. I use this technique a lot, especially in the morning as I prepare for the day and at night as I reflect on the day.

Make That Brief Encounter With Fear a Daily Ritual. Staying Away From It Does Not Help You in the Long Run.

I understand how difficult it is to plunge in and take the required action. It will become easier with practice, I can tell you. You might try the following if you have social anxiety, for example. When in public, make eye contact with strangers, mainly when focusing on something intriguing (like an art exhibit or a book). Saying hello and ask them, "What are you looking at?" if you find someone who could be interested in conversing with you, and then share what has captured your attention. Even today, I apply this technique, sometimes happens that people tell me their life, and you make connections and help people with your own life experiences. This was one of the reasons I decided to become a coach.

Remember that attempting new thing is more important than success or perfection!

Go Slowly and Steadily.

You don't need to rush anything. It will take time to get over your fears. I think taking your time and doing each step separately is best. It's okay if you need more time to try something new. You can always pick up the activity later.

You may quickly become overwhelmed when something enormous and overwhelming is in front of you, such as addressing your fear. Therefore, breaking things down into smaller components can help make them more manageable and less terrifying.?

So, instead of freaking out when you are meeting your manager, consider asking your manager to have weekly check in so that you update them in 30 minutes. Instead of dwelling and considering how long it takes for you to feel comfortable with a performance meetings, think instead of trying to feel entirely at ease in the discussion.

Another instance, when you are scared to speak in public like I was, consider how long it might take to get up on stage once without freaking out instead of wondering how long it will take you to feel entirely at ease with public speaking.??

Do not attempt total transformation all at once, putting too much pressure on yourself, and you'll be taking little steps toward conquering your anxiety in this manner.

Do Something Risky That You Have Never Done Before.

Doing something that makes you nervous is one of the finest methods to overcome fear. Simply striking up a conversation with a total stranger can do this. Another option is standing out in front of a crowd and talking about yourself.?

We feel uneasy about taking chances and doing things that terrify us because we don't know what will happen next.

Remember that we have no control over what happens when we go outside our comfort zone!?

Try not to worry too much about failing or appearing foolish in front of people (even though this will probably happen at some point) because your life will carry on even if you fail at anything. We learn from our failures, not from our successes.

As a Final Thought ...

We shouldn't feel uneasy around a fearful leader. We should be worried when leaders are unable or unwilling to overcome their fear. A leader should embrace fear and decide not to let it immobilize them. They should be prepared to feel fear yet be willing to act despite their fear and push through it. Leadership like that!?

Sometimes I feel scared and afraid, and I'm sure you do too.?

How do you manage your fear? I'd love to know. Comments are welcome below.

Thanks for reading.

About the Author?

Cas?is the founder of?Bring The Best , an organisation that helps professionals to develop self-confidence to excel their success. He was named an Executive Contributor to Brainz Magazine .?You can follow him on Instagram . You can check out his website and talk to him .