Neuroscience Tips to Overcome Fear

Have you ever felt fear? Many of us feel fear and even great leaders pretend they are incredibly controlled,?resilient?and?confident - including myself! The perceived ideal image is for them to show that they do not feel fear. Thing is courage is fear, not the absence of it but the mastery of it. Even the most confident people have anxiety, the smartest people make can mistakes and those leaders who seem in control are really ducks on the surface who are peddling fast under the water.

Thing is most of us experience great learnings and growth by being uncomfortable, by our failings and stuff-up's as well as overcoming our fears.

Do you want to know the truth?

I have never met anyone who doesn't face fear.

Every day, we work with clients, teams, associates, and leaders who feel fear. Many don’t want to discuss or talk about fear. Others’ don’t know how to move through the fear. It takes?vulnerability?to admit and talk about fears.

The biggest fear of all? I don't know if the actions I take will create the desired results that I want.

I am not alone.

Every single entrepreneur, leader, or executive is afraid of something. That fear is always shown in behaviour and mindset. It is shown by the way they speak to or behave with their teams or the energy they give out at work.

No matter how it is shown, fear is real.

Everyone knows fear affects your life.

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”

~Mark Twain

Fear affects opportunities, relationships, revenue, motivation, performance, and employee morale.

Fear is formed when the mind focuses on the uncertainty of future outcomes. Confidence comes from the awareness of all the facts along with a belief in a positive outcome, no matter the uncertainty present.

The good thing is there's some research from MIT that shows you exactly how to overcome fear with some interesting research that started with multi-tasking.

Earl?Miller is a cognitive specialist and neuroscience professor at MIT.?His research?found that humans couldn’t focus on more than one thing at a time. Most of the application of his research has focused on our inability to multitask and how to increase brainpower. Yet, when you understand that to feel fear you have to consciously think about it, then you can take the research and apply it to almost any situation. This does not apply to unconscious or instant fear, fear that is an emotion. This research applies to the main type of fear we feel daily, which is conscious fear based on our expectations and perceptions.

Since our brains only can consciously focus on one thing at a time, once you are in the act of doing, your fear overcome away. Therefore, taking action reduces conscious fear.

Since fear paralyses, how do you take action? The application of Miller's research requires a somewhat unique approach to fear. This is why commitment is so important.

Once you commit to something, nothing else matters.

“FEAR?has two meanings:

Forget?Everything?And?Run.

Face?Everything?And?Rise.”

If you want to take action, which will eliminate fear, the only thing you need to do is make a commitment. Why? Commitment means the action is taking place and your brain is focusing on something else besides the fear.

This is true when I first wanted to start my company, I was petrified. I used to think about it like Jumping of a Cliff (now a chapter in my first book?Leadership Attitude). The one thing that helped me have the courage to jump off and move through the fear was commitment and action. I have been resisting it because of fear. I get it. Today there is now nothing stopping me. This is why I love speaking and coaching as I will do anything to help someone achieve what they want and be the best versions of them. I ask them to commit and I am committed to them.

Commitment always leads to confidence; it is a cycle. Yes, I know. Action creates success and success will?create?confidence. If you don't have confidence, take action, and the confidence will come because you will find success because you will not be thinking about fear.

All fear is neutralised when commitment is proven through action. Action breeds confidence. This is how your brain works.

I know one fear many of us have is putting themselves out there (mine is failing which I now EMBRACE!). Hence this is why you need to NOMINATE TODAY!?in the 2022 Outstanding Leadership Awards!

If you need help with commitment and action, let me share some of my favourite tips to Overcome Fear –

• Think about where the FEAR comes from?– maybe something from childhood? Find out where it comes from and remember you are not that child any more or that previous experience cannot harm you again.
• Squash those ANTs?– if you have Automatic Negative Thoughts, you are the Director of your Brain and get them off the stage.
• Visualise?what you want, write it down, create vision boards and commit to one action per day to make it happen.
• Practice Mindfulness?– if you are feeling anxious and fearful about something, sit with it for a moment, breathe and remember not to judge the feelings or thoughts. Fear is an emotion and you can change your emotions.
• Daily Affirmations?(I have plenty on my mirror) – these are powerful and talk to yourself like you would someone you love. Even if it feels fake, you can trick the brain and you will soon start to feel what you are saying.
• Surround yourself with a tribe?– make sure you have amazing people who love and support you and only want the best for you. Tell them about your fears and commitments and ask for help.
• Don’t die wondering?– don’t get to your death bed (sorry for being so morbid) and regret that you didn’t do it. Don’t let the fear stop you from living and life a life you truly want.
• Appreciate your courage?- I would tell herself during difficult times, “Every time I don’t allow fear to keep me from doing something that scares me, I am making myself stronger and less likely to let the next fear attack stop me.”
• Just do it and Just Rock It!?– yes feel the fear and just do it. And?just rock it?– and be the best version of you. What is stopping you? Only you are stopping you and you can do it!

I always start with the end on mind. What legacy do I want to leave, who do I want to be and what do I want to stand for? In turn, my "purpose" and "why" help me overcome anything and keeps me stepping forward. Why do you do what you do?

Contact us today if you want to engage a?coach and cheerleader?to help you be the best person you can be and create the life and leadership you want!

What do you fear and how do you overcome it?

By?Sonia McDonald

CEO of?LeadershipHQ?and?McDonald Inc.?Leadership coach, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, CEO and author.?

Sonia McDonald is changing the face of leadership across the globe. She believes we should lead with kindness and courage, from the heart, and is known for her mantra ‘Just Lead’. She leads by example in all these areas and through her transformational coaching, leadership training programs and cultural transformation for organisations and encourages others to do the same. Sonia has helped thousands of people on their leadership journey to become the best version of themselves and in turn, inspire and bring out the best in others.

Sonia is a founder and CEO of?McDonald Inc.,?LeadershipHQ?and?Global Outstanding Leadership Awards?and?2022 Courage Conference. For more than 25 years, Sonia has been on the front lines of leadership and she is beyond committed to her mission around building a world of great leaders.

She has held leadership positions worldwide and through experience, research and study come to realise what it takes to be a truly great leader. She has been recognised by Richtopia as One of the Top 250 Influential Women across the Globe and Top 100 Australian Entrepreneurs.

Sonia has an ability to speak bravely and authentically about her own development as a leader, personal and career challenges in a way which resonates with her audience. She is a leading coach, an award-winning published author of newly released?First Comes Courage, Leadership Attitude and Just Rock It!?and has become an in-demand keynote speaker on leadership, kindness and courage.

Sonia has become recognised for her commentary around the topic of leadership, kindness, empathy and courage as well as building outstanding leadership across the Globe.