It has been said that fear is one of the most powerful emotions, second only to love. Healthy and instinctive fears have made it possible for the human race to survive. But as most of us know, most fears can sometimes be paralyzing and life-altering. And in our professional lives, oftentimes fears are unfounded. Humans will avoid situations due to fear whether it is real or imagined. So let’s talk about how debilitating fear of those things that are merely holding us back from success, sabotage our dreams or the pursuit of happiness we all seek.
It is always uplifting and admirable to see when the common, everyday person musters up the strength to face her fear head on. Even moreso, it’s inspirational to watch someone overcome the obstacles in her way and prevail in her battles against real or imaginary demons. And the results are usually well-deserve rewards such as promotions, financial gains, new respect or opportunities or love secured! Hollywood makes blockbuster hits from this example (think: Melanie Griffin in the movie Working Girl) and we all cheer the scared main character through her journey! Unfortunately, most of us are not wired to take on herculean tasks and face those big fears. We try to avoid or deny them. Frequently we develop well-honed skills at eluding fear altogether. Since we don’t have a crystal ball, we fear unknown results or consequences. That makes staying in our current situations more appealing, or at least acceptable.
This is very familiar territory when it comes to starting a business or taking on a bigger business venture. You have an idea. It won’t leave you alone. But the fear of failure or fear of humiliation is too much to risk. So you stay in your current situation. At this pace, you’ll be in the same situation are you now, still succumbing to those fears.
I think we all know there is a price to pay for having too much fear. We sacrifice our dreams. We alter our futures. It helps to be reminded about those consequences.
So how do we negotiate between our fears and desires in a way that enables us to push forward? There are many suggestions. Many say “take the plunge!” or “close your eyes and jump in!”. Frankly, this isn’t practical for most of us. If taking the plunge was that easy, we would have already done it! Okay, so it’s not easy. There’s a psychological barrier that will not let us jump right in. Fear is all too powerful.
It is necessary to find a way to approach the fear whereas we stay in control and we are not vulnerable to an unpleasant outcome. And there is a way to do this. The August Monthly Breakthrough gives you the formula. It is easy, simple, and it eliminates the risk you fear. You stay in control, you define the outcome and you face the fear in your own way. Give it a try. You can find that Breakthrough here.
Jodi Henson is an entrepreneur and business consultant. She works with prospective and existing small business owners to help them overcome challenges and attain their goals. Jodi lives in NE Florida with her husband and family. You can contact her at jodih@jodihenson.com.