Fearless or Fear Less: What Does It Mean to You?

This week, I’m heading to Nashville for Nitrogen 's Fearless Investing Summit, where I’ll be kicking things off at the Fearless Women session for the Females and Finance Community . And as I’ve been preparing, I keep coming back to that word: fearless. Whether you see it as being completely without fear or choosing to “fear less,” the concept means something different to everyone.

I still remember a time in my career when fear had a tight grip on me. I was leaving the comfort of my former firm to launch my coaching & consulting practice. The idea of stepping out on my own was equal parts incredibly exciting and utterly terrifying. What if it didn’t work? What if I failed? It was a pivotal moment when I had to decide whether to let fear stop me or push forward in spite of it. I chose to take the leap. And looking back, I don't regret it one bit! I realize that it wasn’t about being fearless — it was about fearing a little less with every small step I took.

Here are a Few Steps to Help You Become Fearless (or to Fear a Little Less):

Acknowledge Your Fear The first step isn’t to ignore fear but to acknowledge it. Whether it's fear of failure, rejection, or change, naming it gives you the power to address it directly. Back when I left my firm, I didn’t try to pretend I wasn’t scared — I just didn’t let it stop me. Are YOU acknowledging the things that scare you?

Focus on Progress, Not Perfection Fear shows up when we feel like we’re not “ready.” But waiting for the perfect moment only keeps us stuck. Think about having kids...are we ever really "ready" for that adventure?! Looking back on parenting my girls, while I did a lot of things right, virtually nothing was perfect — just a lot of messy, imperfect action (with me doing the best I could with where I was at the time!). But progress beats perfection every time.

Lean on Your People During that transition (and to this day!), I leaned heavily on the people I trusted — mentors, friends, and colleagues who encouraged me to keep moving forward. This is exactly why I live by the motto: "KNOW your people, FIND your people, LOVE 'em hard!" Having the right support system makes all the difference when fear starts to creep in.

Reframe Fear as Growth Here’s the thing: Fear often shows up when we’re about to grow. What if, instead of running from fear, we saw it as a signal that something important is on the horizon? Looking back, I see that my biggest moments of growth — personal, professional, and financial — happened when I pushed through fear.

Whether you see “fearless” as charging ahead without hesitation or “fearing less” as finding just enough courage to act, the result is the same: ACTION. Fear loses its power the moment you decide to move forward anyway.

So here’s my thought-provoking question for you:

What would you do if fear wasn’t holding you back?

I challenge you to reflect on that question this week—and take one bold step, no matter how small.

Always in your corner,

Kristin

P.S. If you’re looking for a dynamic speaker for your firm or conference, let’s connect! I’d love to bring this conversation to your organization and explore how you — and your team — can GROW BETTER.