Yes, there is power in fear. Fear can either serve as a great paralyzer or a great catalyst. Fear can either stop us cold… or urge us forward. Either way… it is our CHOICE. That’s right… it is 100% reliant upon the MINDSET we CHOOSE.

Our deepest fear is not that we are weak. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. -Marianne WilliamsonHow many times have we felt an urge to take a leap – professionally or personally – only to STOP because we are afraid of the outcome? We may be afraid of failure, rejection, vulnerability, and even success! Yes… fear of success can halt our efforts. The wise and famous quotation from Marianne Williamson’s book A Return to Love resonates with so many of us, “Our deepest fear is not that we are weak. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

So, what are a few steps we can take to face our fears and experience our fullest and richest potential?

  1. Face it. Yes… this seems basic, yet so many of us ignore our fears only to have them creep back in the form of procrastination or rationalization that ‘we don’t really want that which we thought wanted.’ Yes… if we don’t face our fears – they will continue to surface. As Carl Jung wrote so many years ago, “What we resist not only persists but will grow in size.” Boom! We must face our fears. We must acknowledge as best we can their origin and then accept and FACE that of which we are afraid.
  2. Trump it. I love to say that passion trumps fear – and indeed it does. It always comes down to how badly we want something. For example, if we want to publish a book, the desire and passion to contribute in this way will trump the fear of rejection or failure. And, if we have something we feel passionate about sharing, the fear of speaking in public will dim in comparison to the joy of sharing our thoughts, beliefs, and convictions. So, get in touch with your feelings. WHY do you want what you want? How badly do we want it? And what is the WORST thing that could happen if we pursue that dream? The ‘worst’ thing… is never the worst thing… as the worst thing is not striving to achieve the dreams and goals we have. THAT paralyzer behavior will dictate your fate.
  3. Do it. In the big scheme of things… fear can be a very healthy emotion. Let’s face it, fear is one of the few ever-present emotions that precedes us conquering the perceived impossible. And once we have realized that which we thought we could never do… what happens? It gets easier. It becomes familiar. We embrace that fear and let it become the catalyst to becoming the highest and best version of ourselves.

I want to close with one of my favorite quotes, from arguably one of the bravest men of our generation. Nelson Mandela’s wise words summarize our call to action, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

 

Photo by Andrej Lišakov on Unsplash

 


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