Fear is a little word that sparks a lot of conversation. It’s tricky because everyone has fears, but they’re all unique to us in how they crop up and how we choose to face our fears and deal with what it tells us.
Maybe you’re thinking: How can 4 letters bring massive amounts of insecurity and doubt?
Well, you’ve undoubtedly heard the acronym “False Evidence Appearing Real” in relation to that little 4-letter word. False evidence that we accept as truth. We take that evidence at face value and don’t look deeper into it.
Whatever the reason, we choose not to face our fears and look deeper because we’re afraid of what we will find. For some, it could be that acknowledging it is too scary or triggering. For others, it could be the embarrassment it brings when we admit that we’re struggling with these stories.
Last week, I wrote a post about the first thing you must do to overcome your business fears. That is a great start when you’re beginning to face your fears and learn about their deeper meaning.
So, what do you do know that you’ve discovered the deeper truth to your fears? Keep reading to learn my top secret to busting fears every time they come up so I can step into my role as CEO!
Taking Action to Face Your Fears
As I always say, action is the antidote to fear.
And as Dumbledor says, “Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.” He’s a wise wizard! Even the action of naming it will help you face your fear.
So, it’s time to create a plan that allows you to work through your fears so you can name them, face them, and move past them instead of letting them stop you.
Let’s say you love to write, but have specific fears around actually sharing your thoughts in writing. Maybe you uncovered a scenario where your writing was criticized. As a result, you stopped sharing your thoughts. To put your words out where people can actually read them makes you really uncomfortable.
Ready to face that fear? Take a deep breath because it’s time to ask a powerful question.
How Can You Get Into Action?
How many times have you avoided doing something out of fear? Girlfriend, I don’t have enough fingers and toes. But the times I DID something despite that fear is when I unlocked my best work and leveled up.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
(Or maybe it was because I was determined to defeat the voices saying “I can’t.” Either way, it has led me to this belief…)
When we do something, anything, we’re making progress and taking power away from those fear-based voices. After all, an object in motion stays in motion.
Further, when you know the actions you’ll take now as you’re facing your fears, you will have a plan for the next time those fears pop up (because they will). That way, they don’t derail you.
Success Tip: Practice diffusing your fears by identifying one thing that will help you get into action.
In the example above, a question I might ask would be: How can you strengthen your writing so that you can more confidently put yourself out into the world with your words?
Potential answers include:
- I can practice writing every day.
- I can use journaling prompts aimed at eliciting content.
- I can find free tutorials from copywriters I respect to learn their technique.
- I can look for a writing buddy who can give me solid feedback and help me improve.
- I can give myself more time to create my words and release the pressure on the outcome.
Here, the answer isn’t just “just write,” (even though that is part of the answer). Rather, the answer is to put yourself in a more supported position with the aid of tools or people. Take some pressure off. Make a commitment to improving gradually. And ultimately, your job is to create a scenario where you actually write.
Make An Action Plan
No matter how you want to put yourself out there in the world, whether writing, speaking, video, or other artistic projects, customize your plan with a series of baby steps that will allow it to feel possible.
You’ll still be uncomfortable and get a “vulnerability hangover.” But as you take action consistently towards your goal, you’ll be able to work through the discomfort a little more each time.
Still using the writing example, here’s a possible plan for how you could face your fear of sharing your writing. There is no “only way” or “right choice.” There’s only the plan that works for you.
Your action steps could be:
- I’m going to write freely, and then I’m going to pull a few great sentences from my words to support a daily Instagram post.
- I’m going to write a weekly newsletter, and for the first 12 weeks, I’m not going to worry about whether anyone is reading what I write. I’m literally going to write and publish, without attachment to the outcome.
- I’m going to write something and then I’m going to create a video where I talk about the topic I shared in my writing. I’m more comfortable speaking, so in addition to writing down my ideas, I’m going to speak them out loud. That will help me get some feedback in a way that I can digest so I can improve.
- I’m going to submit my work for guest posting opportunities so the audience that reads my work will be new to me (thus reaching outside of my judgmental circle that makes me feel so terrible).
Your list is going to be totally unique, but you see where I’m getting at. These are specific scenarios based on facing a specific fear that’s deep inside you.
No matter what your specific fear looks like, you must take action. And then another and another so you build momentum. Eventually, the fear will begin to subside.
Then, when a new fear crops up, you’ll have practiced this skill and you can rely on it to see you through again. By building the habit and taking action daily, you’ll become far more adept at facing your fears and moving past them quickly!
Maybe in naming your specific fears, you walked away with a feeling that they weren’t actually real (hint – fear isn’t actually real!), and you decided you were ready to make a big breakthrough with an epic project. That’s awesome! Either way, practice these steps to bust your fears.
I know this work isn’t easy, but the amazing business owners I work with have discovered the secret: 90% of success in business stems from what you think. Doing daily mindset work, which includes facing fears and doing the work anyway, is non-negotiable.
