#PsychYourselfUP!

Advice. It’s something we often seek (and sometimes receive unsolicited) from those we are closest to and sometimes even from strangers! Throughout my career I’ve been the fortunate recipient of advice from my colleagues, leaders, mentors, customers and friends. Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to sponsor a new employee network in our company and during our inaugural event, we featured a rock star panel of leaders. The outpouring of advice and insight was extraordinary, but rather than share just one piece of advice from that forum, I’d like to share some thoughts which are more of a takeaway from the session’s collective comments and learnings.

“Fear” seems to be a common barrier faced by many of us. Whether it’s subconscious fear or conscious fear, whether it’s rationale fear or irrational fear, there’s little doubt that most of us encounter it – and there’s no question that in that moment, it feels real.  Fear fosters doubt – and that doubt erodes our confidence. When our confidence is shaken, we are less likely to be bold, to act, and to take risks. Does this sound familiar? But when we can objectively take a step back from the heat or pressure of the situation, we should be able to recognize that the real “fear” actually lies within us. In fact, the reality is that often times, we can be our own worst enemy, creating barriers in our minds which deter us from realizing our fullest potential or being the best that we can possibly be. Ever hear of the saying – don’t take yourself out of the game before it even starts? That’s what I’m talking about here.

So how do we work through this fear? How do we train ourselves NOT to psych ourselves OUT? How do we build our own mental and emotional strength to forge ahead, even when there may be great uncertainty and risk? Namely, how do we psych ourselves UP?

Well, now onto the advice that I received from a former coach. So simple it should be obvious. When faced with the fear of moving forward – when your mind starts to psych you out – when faced with self-doubt…play out two scenarios in your mind (write them down if it’s helpful to you). If you do THIS, 1) what is the absolutely WORST thing that could happen? And 2) what is the BEST thing that could happen? I’m venturing to say that you’ll find the goodness in the second answer will almost always dwarf the first, and the likelihood of the former happening may be so slim that you should be compelled to take action. And, that’s really the most important thing…that you do act…that you move forward. It is the only way to work through and conquer your fears. Rather than you being your own worst enemy, how about you being your biggest supporter? Does that make sense?

Do you have any tips to share when you find yourself affected by “fear, uncertainty, or doubt?” For sure we lean on those around us who we trust and respect, who we know care about and want the best for us. Let’s show each other some support! Then go #PsychYourselfUP!