Run Away from Fear and Toward Success
Laughing at Fear Itself
As the days are getting shorter and the darkness is longer, we’re heading towards the annual Halloween festivities. Halloween is about ghouls and ghosts, scary stories, and the thrill of being afraid, all in the name of having fun and laughing.
But why do we only laugh at fear during this season? Why not look at fear each day and laugh? It certainly would make our challenges easier. Fear can be extreme or it can be mild, but it usually prevents us from taking important steps to achieve positive results. Some examples include asking for a raise, asking someone out on a date, jumping out of an airplane, or speaking up in an important meeting. Everyone experiences fear, but not everyone has the same reaction.
What is Fear? Is it Real or Imagined?
“Fear is a survival tactic that is built into our species.” Dr. Gail Gross, Ph.D., Ed.D, M.Ed explains that “the fight or flight syndrome is where our fear originates. In the early days of mankind, it helped protect us from the dangers in the environment. Today, however, our fears often center on emotions rather than physical dangers. However, the body does not know how to distinguish between the two.”
With over 100 psychiatric documented phobias, there is a plethora of information about the fears we endure. Psychology Today shared the fears in the modern world, and Business News Daily lists 11 common fears suffered by many. Theo Tsaousides, Ph.D. explains, “survival needs and threats have changed over the millennia. Nonetheless, the role of fear remains the same; to warn and protect. Fear can be uncomfortable, even paralyzing at times.”
Fear in the Workplace
When it comes to our profession he lists the following as the most recognized fears.
Autonomy We fear the ability to make our own decisions will be taken from us.
Social Survival We fear others’ opinions and that we won’t belong.
Self-Worth We fear a lack of confidence, low self-esteem and inability to succeed.
He further explains, “Who you are and what you do has at one point or another been influenced by fear. Being successful relies to a large extent on knowing how to leverage fear.”
Conquer Your Fears and Taste Success
How do you translate fear into motivation, determination, and action? Focus on something you really, really want. People can reach incredible achievements when they really, really want something – like lifting a car off someone who is trapped. If we know our lives literally depend on something, most people will do anything necessary to stay alive. In other situations, where what’s at stake feels less important, we let fear run the show, and we miss out. Our desire for the outcome is not as strong as our desire to avoid fear.
However, if you have ambitious goals for your professional or personal life you must recognize that overcoming fear is a necessary part of the process to deliver on your goals. Fear lets you know you’re growing, you’re moving outside of your comfort zone, and you’re on the right track. Every time you feel uncomfortable, apprehensive, nervous, look positively at the emotion and tell yourself you’re moving forward; you’re not stagnating or worse, moving backward in your life.
“Being fearless doesn’t mean eliminating fear. Being fearless means knowing how to leverage fear. And to do that, you need to know a few things about what you are dealing with.”
Embrace the fear, laugh at it, have some fun, have a Halloween moment every day and you will amaze yourself by how far you will have moved over the course of a year or even a few months.
Check out these great references:
https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-achieve-greatness