Overcoming fear.

I wanted to talk generally about fear as an inhibitor and provide a few tactics that may help you overcome anxiety and make your next bold move! Whether that is creating a video to share here on Linkedin in front of your peers, writing that book you have always wanted to, speaking in public, learning to dance, starting a company or anything else where fear may play a role in holding you back.

Preparation

The more you are prepared the less you will worry about being in the given situation. So study, plan and role-play. It will build confidence and you will be less afraid.

List worst-case scenarios

What is the worst thing that came happen? Perhaps a bunch of things can go wrong. Write them down. Create a quick strategy to mitigate each one of them. Two things will happen; firstly, you will feel more prepared and secondly, you will likely realise that the worst thing that could possibly go wrong, is not so bad.

Familiarity

The heist man may be incredibly frightened the first time they are handed a ski-mask, pistol and told to get to work, but after 10 such encounters, they will be just fine! An extreme example, but a good one nonetheless because it also puts giving a speech in context, there is no chance you will die!:) Do not be too concerned about the robber - it is a fictional character I just created on the spot for your reading pleasure :)

Simply stated, the more often you do something, the more it becomes familiar, the less you bring fear along for the ride.

Embrace the fear

The good thing about scary things is that you must stretch in order to accomplish them, that is, there is a new version of you after you have achieved something remarkable, you have grown, it was transformative. It may be a counter-intuitive to think of moving towards the fear given we are geared for fight or flight, but a little fear is good. It is an indicator that you are on the right path, that you are about to do something that will allow you to improve and grow.

Procrastination

Sometimes fear is disguised, procrastination and obsessive planning often make for a good cloak. The truth is, if you are waiting for everything to be perfect you will be dead before conditions are just right. Set a date, make the move, and change the plan in motion, as needed.

They want you to succeed!

Incredible advice from my wife. More often than not, the people you are about to present to want you to succeed, the people in that job interview want you to succeed, the audience at open mic night wants you to succeed, whatever the situation is, 9 times out of 10, the people you are in front of, want you to succeed! So remember that.

So now it is time to get to work!:)

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