Does Fear Hold You Back From Taking Action?
It all boils down to action. Progress in any area of your life is all about taking action. It’s about doing something. Sometimes something different. Possibly VERY different than usual.
Different can be scary. The fear of the unknown is a pretty big fear for a lot of people.
Sometimes the fear of the unknown is more of a fear of failure. Maybe the fear of success is bigger than the fear of failure. Others fear the possibility of rejection, disapproval, humiliation.
Being comfortable is nice. It feels safe and cozy. Why leave a nice, warm bed to go work out at a gym? It’s been said that the addiction to comfort is the number one addiction in the universe.
Being uncomfortable is stressful. Fear is stressful. Many have allowed it to totally shut them down and keep them from achieving their goals.
Achieving goals requires action. It’s about doing something. Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” . Action can be the difference between success or failure.
Fear can paralyze almost anyone and keep them from taking that action. What about you? Is fear holding you back?
Here are some useful steps for overcoming the fear and taking action anyway:
“Discomfort is the companion of change. Acknowledge it and move forward anyway.” John Assaraf
Acknowledge the fear. Call it what it is. Pointing the finger somewhere else or making excuses is a waste of energy and only keeps the obstacle in place. It can actually give the fear more fuel.
Don’t be fooled by any little thought gremlins that tell you that you have to “get rid” of the fear before you move on. If you believe that, you’ll never move forward.
Read the stories of any great athletes, or anyone else who’s accomplished something great, and they’ll tell you they “Felt the fear and did it anyway.”
Even though it’s not necessarily the goal to get rid of the fear, it’s important to give your subconscious mind the dignity of acknowledging it.
Choose a tactic to manage the fear. Confront any belief that suggests the fear must be removed in order to move forward. That belief is false. There’s no truth to the belief that fear must be gone in order to move forward. That’s just the voice of the part of you that’s addicted to comfort.
Here are four tactics to managing the fear;
- Clarify your goal and the exact next step you need to take next to achieve that goal. Take that step. The fear will either go away or greatly reduce.
- Use tapping. You can look up examples on YouTube.com or go to emofree.com and learn from the guy who started Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Gary Craig. It’s easy to learn and use.
- Find an accountability buddy who can kick your butt and get you through the next one to three steps. Get a buddy who’s been there and gets it.
- If you don’t have any buddy’s who qualifies, then hire a coach. Someone who’s been there and gets it who can encourage you and hold you accountable.
