Posted in Management Best Practices

How to (Finally) Do the Thing that Scares You

Feel paralyzed by your fear? Wish you could step outside of your comfort zone and achieve a stretch goal?

Sometimes fear serves a valuable purpose—it keeps you safe from things that could cause physical or emotional pain. However, when your anxiety doesn’t serve a logical purpose, it could hold you back. Learning to be more courageous in the face of fear—whether you want to learn a new skill or get more comfortable with being uncomfortable—can make you happier, more confident, and more successful in the long run.

Have you ever been afraid to:

Take the next step to earn a special certification or designation?
Take a vacation when you know your work will pile up?
Have a hard conversation with a team member?
Try something on your bucket list?
Start a new division, new product, new service, or new offering?

Logically, you probably know things like these aren’t as difficult or threatening as they feel. In fact, many of them could result in positive outcomes. But that doesn’t make it any easier to make the leap.

So how can you learn to “lean in” to your fears?

Imagine the worst-case scenario. Sometimes we avoid doing new things because we fear failure, pain, or consequences. Think about (or write down, if you want to really face your fears) the worst thing that could happen. The consequences might not be as dire as you believe. For example, if you fail a certification course, you might be embarrassed or discouraged. However, you might also decide to retake the course and use the knowledge you gained to reach your goal.

Consider the benefits. We’ve all heard the famous saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” The experience you gain facing your fears could make you more confident and willing to tackle other goals. Consider making a pro and con list to see if the potential benefits are worth facing your fear. You don’t want to look back in ten years and wish you’d taken the plunge despite your anxiety.

Get support. No one said you must face your fears alone. Ask others who have tackled similar goals to share their experiences. They might have valuable advice or provide encouragement to ease your concerns.

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