Why Fear CAN Be A Good Thing

Our news is worse than usual. In fact, when I looked at the home screen on my iPad this morning, the notifications littered across my screen were just demoralizing and depressing.

The Coronavirus or COVID-19 is probably the only thing that has ever affected everyone on the entire planet of nearly 8 billion inhabitants in the same way - ever. We are all concerned about containment, our loved ones and families, fatalities, the economy, our jobs, security and the shortage of testing equipment, masks, ventilators, and hospital beds. We are ALL concerned about now and the future because life itself has become very uncertain.

From knowing what our weeks and months held for us, we have moved into a world of total uncertainty. It started with gradual changes and quickly moved to canceled cruises, travel and vacations, shuttered schools, closed universities, bars, and restaurants. Now we are working from home and experiencing limited access to grocery stores and various other locations unless they are deemed essential. EVERY aspect of our lives has been affected.

It’s all moved so quickly, from gradual to sudden, and it has spread fear! How do we deal with the fear, particularly for our livelihood and our business?

Fear is caused by uncertainty. A loss of control, a worry of the unknown. Something we can all relate to at the moment. But if we can put certainty back into our lives, the fear recedes. So how do we do that? Hope has never been a strategy so we need to look at what we CAN control. Here are 4 things we can do to get back control: 

1. List scenarios

Whatever we are dealing with, list the worst to the best scenarios. There’s normally between 3-5 of these. What do they look and feel like and what would be the outcomes. This is a cathartic exercise as it’s much like going to the doctor when you feel sick. They prescribe what’s wrong with you, suggest some medicine and you feel better already before you even leave. Nothing has really changed, except that you now know what’s wrong with you and what is going to be done about it.

2. List your options 

What can we do to minimize the worst and boost the best of those scenarios? What’s the easiest and most difficult solution, quickest and slowest?

3. Define the resources required 

For each option make sure you know what you are going to need, whether its people, tools or processes. Have we got access to them, if not what are the alternatives?

4. Write a plan with timings

For each scenario write out a plan. It’s a master plan that outlines what we will do for each of the scenarios. It’s the medicine we will take based on the different symptoms.

Fear can hold us back from doing anything. It can freeze us and make us feel powerless. But fear can also heighten our senses and awareness, keep us alert and focused. Let’s use this opportunity to use the positive side of fear. 

Which side are you feeling right now?

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Peter M. Beaumont is a Business Advisor with Resultants For Business as well the Founder and Principal of ConnXN Consulting. He is also the author of The Relationship Roadmap, a comprehensive guide to building relationships with strategic clients. Find out more at www.ConnXN.net