Overcoming the Single Biggest Obstacle to Success: FEARFear is the inner barrier that separates you from what you desire. It is your greatest enemy. Fear is capable of destroying not only people’s careers, but their entire lives. But that doesn’t have to happen to you. Why? Because fear isn’t real. And fear rarely comes true. Eight percent. That’s the percent of our fears that actually become realized. A mere eight percent. That means that a full ninety-two percent of your fears will never happen. So here are a few suggestions to help you overcome your fears and secure your future: 1. Break down your fears. 2. Stay in the here and now. 3. Shift your focus. 4. Share your fears. Doing so is uncomfortable and unhealthy. Even if you’re not used to doing it, share your fears with someone else. Another set of eyes can sometimes help to expose whatever frightens you as unrealistic, irrational, or even ridiculous. Often, all you need is someone to shed a light on your fear for it to disappear entirely. It’s like the child in bed in the darkness who sees a monster across the room, and when his parents turn on the light, the monster is revealed to be just a coat hanging over a chair. 5. Take baby steps. Once you act out of fear, bad things tend to happen. Fear can feel gigantic and overwhelming. That is why it’s best to overcome fear one little step at a time. Why would anyone allow fear to rule his or her life, when fear is the opposite of a prudent, rational, and reasonable way of life? The answer is the person doesn’t think he or she has a choice. The truth is, you do have a choice. You can choose to start from the beginning and have your first step be an exercise in taking control of your life and emotions. Write down on a piece of paper what your life would look like if fear were not present. Who would you be? What could you accomplish? How exactly would you go about realizing your dreams? Go into as much detail as you can. Imagine how magnificent your life could be. This is the beginning of the end of fear. 6. Make the change. The change can be big or small, as long as it represents a different kind of action. Big change could be finding a new job or moving across the country. Small change might be something as minor as dressing differently or getting your car washed more often. The basic idea is that only you can take responsibility for the quality of your life. And taking that responsibility involves more than just saying so. It involves action, which begins with a commitment to change. |