“On the other side of your maximum fear are all the best things in life”.
(Will Smith)
How many times have you talked yourself out of doing something based on perceived fears? I’m talking about larger life episodes like changing careers, starting your own business, learning a new skill or traveling to an exotic locale.
Sometimes we fear the unknown simply because it is unknown. Nothing has happened to instill the fear we live with; we just bring it along into our daily routines. Don’t let that little voice in your head talk you out of pursuing something you want to accomplish. Positive thoughts generate positive outcomes! Tackle life with an Irie mindset!
Look for ways to embrace your fear and understand the root cause. Challenges provide opportunities to grow so don’t let a little apprehension stop you from making a move. Try to place a marker or name on what you fear. Is it the actual change, lack of confidence, professional requirements or something else? Understanding the root cause of fear provides a road map to help overcome the thing you fear—sounds simple, right?
Look for ways to visualize the successful outcome you seek. Leverage a vision mapping process to walk you through the entire process. Start with the most basic concepts and then work to put everything into a step-by-step diagram as a road map for success. Your vision map may show holes in your thought and execution patterns you can counter to help eliminate fear and enable success. The vision map also allows you to put time frames in-place to accomplish the task you identify.
Positive people make positive things happen! I continue to stress having an Irie mindset. Believe this is vital daily in life. Expect great things to happen and back up the expectations with proactive research, conversations and efforts needed to get what you want. Positive thoughts will help build up resiliency so when faced with obstacles you go to the next option but never stop trying to get what you want.
Be prepared to pivot as needed. There are times a fundamental change in approach is needed to get what you want. This is not a failure but a proactive way to work towards outcomes to enhance your current situation. Do you need to get a specific certification prior to starting a career change? Do you need to have a business partner to make your small business idea successful? The willingness to pivot when needed can eliminate a level of fear associated with similar changes.
“Staying positive does not mean that things will turn out okay. Rather it is knowing that you will be okay no matter how things turn out”.
(Unknown)
Accept fear as a natural motivator in life. Sounds counterproductive but what if you tackle a small fear daily to build up confidence for the larger things in life? Fear public speaking? Then join Toast Masters to get in front of people to learn how to overcome this fear. I’m a natural introvert so speaking in front of people was a fear I had. Discovered the more I speak in front of groups the less fear I have. The process becomes easier the more I face the fear.
Mentors can help you when facing your fears. We should all have multiple mentors to help get through personal and professional scenarios. Why not enlist a mentor when you must face a fear? This trusted advisor may have experience in the area and can provide insight to help you move forward. The mentor can also serve as a sounding board for you to present your thoughts. This simple concept may allow you to hear what’s holding you back. Your mentor will be able to provide feedback based on thoughts you present as well.
Fears are natural to most of us. Visualize success, leverage positive thoughts, pivot if needed, accept fear to defeat it and engage your mentors. Simple, huh? 😊
Remember, everything Irie!
What tools do you leverage to overcome fear? What have you thought about doing but let fear hold you back? (Respond in the comments section—thanks!)
“Named must your fear be before banish it you can”.
(Yoda)
Walk Into the Future 
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