For 18 years I sent out an article of the week to my leadership team, and people who I had met in many different places. Since I wanted to be known as a developer (in the leadership sense), and leadership is about action, I made a point to send something to my people once a week. It helped discipline me to learn something new, reinforce something I already knew, and hopefully give the recipients a nugget they could use in their own lives.
This first one, by Matt Mayberry, is very apppropriate to me. After 26 years with the Walt Disney Company, I have left the mother ship, and am now a sole proprietor. If that does not scare me, nothing will!
I have used the tactics below as I considered and made my transition, over the past 6 months, except for #3. I am ok to not scare myself EVERY DAY.
Here’s to overcoming fear. Enjoy.
Dan
3 Ways to Overcome Fear Immediately, Matt Mayberry
August 20, 2014
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
If there is one thing that holds millions of people back each day from growing as an individual, achieving high levels of success and becoming the best version of themselves, fear is definitely at the top of the list.
High achievers, regardless of occupation, understand that taking risks and massive action is a vital part in getting from where you are to where you want to go. And that goes for in life — and in business. But often these risks are met with fear, which can cause people to question their ambitions and prevent them from taking action.
One thing I want you to understand is that fear is absolutely normal. Even the best experience fear from time to time. The key is to not let fear hold you back and prevent you from taking action and go after what you want in life.
Here are three ways to overcome fear immediately.
- Rewire your brain.Rewiring your brain is one of the surest ways to overcome your fears and develop the courage that is needed to get to where you want to go. Develop mantras and affirmations that build you up and increase your self-confidence. Read uplifting books to help interrupt the negative inner dialogue that goes on in your mind. Beginning as a child, we are told negative things that we can’t do, be or have. If you don’t take the initiative to rewire your brain, life will do it for you.
- Have a well thought out plan.We begin to worry and over analyze situations when we don’t have detailed and well thought out plans for our life. Set extremely clear goals with a detailed plan on how to achieve those goals. After you have a well detailed plan, take action.Taking action towards meaningful goals helps to relieve stress and gives you a huge sense of enjoyment. Fear creeps in and paralyzes us when we don’t take the time to plan our lives.
- Do one thing every day that scares you. Living in our comfort zone is not the best way to live. Not doing the things that frighten you will increase the likelihood that your fears will become bigger – and taking over your life. It can even be something small that you choose to do, but do something daily that scares you. Step out of your comfort zone and work on becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable. When you form the habit of doing something daily that scares you, your courage grows little by little. Soon enough, the barriers that once were holding you back vanish and your potential maximizes tremendously.
Making the bold decision to not let fear hold you back anymore is one of the best decisions you can make to ensure future success. It’s not something that happens overnight, but taking intentional action and running towards your fears daily will give you a promising result in the long run.
Everything that you want in life is past your comfort zone. Don’t let fear be the reason you lived a half-lived life.
