Overcoming Fear: One of the keys to unlock performance
John Fay MBE
Founder at DeltaV Partners - Leadership Development and Culture Transformation. Co-Founder & shareholder of a Battery Energy Storage business in the USA.
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Fear is an innate human emotion that serves as a protective mechanism, alerting us to potential dangers and threats. In one in fourteen people it is presents as a negative and is a feeling that everyone experiences, yet its impact will vary dramatically from one person to another. While fear can sometimes be beneficial, helping us avoid risky situations, it can also become an impediment to personal growth. Overcoming fear is not just about confronting what frightens us; it is about unlocking our potential, fostering resilience, and embracing the journey of self-discovery.
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Understanding Fear
To overcome fear, we must first understand its roots. Fear can stem from various sources, including past experiences, societal expectations, or even the unknown. It often manifests as anxiety, indecision, or avoidance, leading to stagnation in personal and professional lives. For instance, a fear of public speaking may prevent an individual from sharing their ideas or pursuing a leadership role, while a fear of failure may inhibit someone from taking risks that could lead to a major new account win. Thus, recognising the specific fears that hinder us is the first step toward overcoming them.
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The Role of Mindset
A fundamental aspect of overcoming fear lies in cultivating a growth mindset, a concept popularised by psychologist Carol Dweck. Individuals with a growth mindset believe that their abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. This perspective transforms fear from a paralysing force into a challenge to be tackled. Instead of viewing fear as a roadblock, those with a growth mindset see it as a stepping stone toward self-improvement. They understand that failure is not a reflection of their worth, but rather a valuable lesson on the path to success.
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Embracing Discomfort
Personal growth often requires stepping outside of our comfort zones. This process can be daunting; however, it is essential for overcoming fear. Engaging in activities that evoke fear or anxiety whether it be public speaking, working alone, or pursuing a new career path can lead to increased resilience and self confidence. Each small victory over fear serves to reinforce the belief that we are capable of more than we initially thought. The key is to start small and gradually tackle larger fears, creating a ladder of achievement that boosts our confidence along the way.
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The Power of Support
Overcoming fear is not a journey that must be undertaken alone. Seeking support from leadership, friends, family, or professionals can provide the encouragement needed to confront fears head on. Sharing our fears with others can demystify them, making them seem less daunting, it is not a sign of weakness whatsoever. Indeed, support platforms are used in high pressure environments such as Space, Professional Sports and the Special Forces. Having grown up in the IBM world, I look back on those vanguard days and I recall fondly what a great leader the late Tom Hannon was, as we sold and delivered ground breaking software programmes with his 100% support.
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Summarising?
Fear is everywhere, we all feel it during our lives and if we didn’t well we wouldn’t be human. I have discussed some concepts today that have been around for many years, under the banner of common sense and care for others. Looking ahead research at the University of Cambridge and with Dr Koizumi in Kyoto, Japan is using AI and Image Recognition theory to help develop coping mechanisms for Fear. This is much needed work and I look forward to this and other applied science developments becoming mainstream.
As overcoming fear to unlock the true potential in our people I argue, is a major part of our job as leaders.
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Performance Coach at Heartbeats and Milliseconds
2 个月Great article John, as ever This fear often manifests as Imposter Syndrome An aspect that often leads to people not achieving their potential. One great way to get over this is appropriate Coaching, probably the most under utilised (or misunderstood?) method of development ... Keep 'em coming...
Group Chief Executive Officer, Vanquis Bank plc. Providing caring banking to allow our customers to make the most of life's opportunities.
2 个月These are a great series of esssys John - please keep them coming!
Helping Organisations to align all of their actions to strategy and achieve their vision | Former Big 4 | Former Head of Strategy | Led COVID 19 Vaccination Workforce Strategy | Executive Coach
2 个月Great article John Fay MBE. I really like Brendon Burchard's take on fear. He said that there are three types of fear. Fear of loss, fear of process and fear of outcome. If we can recognise which of these we are experiencing, we can start to rationalise what is going on. When we do that, we can make courage a habit to overcome fear.