Conquer Your Fear Even When You're Scared to Death

Conquer your fear? Is it possible? YES! Fear is a normal emotion. Sometimes, it can be beneficial because it makes you aware of risks, keeps you alert, and improves mental focus. However, too much fear will have the opposite effect. Don't fret as even the most successful people experience this feeling. The key is to prevent it from dictating your actions.

Let's say you want to quit your 9-to-5 job and start a creative agency or work as a freelance web designer. You might be afraid that you'll lose time and money if things don’t work out as you planned. What if you won't have enough clients? Or what if you get sick and can't work anymore?

The risks are real, so it's normal to experience fear. However, you'll never know what you're missing if you don't try. Who knows? You might have a huge success and build a loyal customer base. Five years from now on, you could have enough money to buy the home of your dreams. Do you want to live your life wondering What if?

Conquer Your Fear:
But, How?

No matter how hard you try, you’ll never be able to get rid of fear completely. Instead, you should make it your ally.

Picture yourself reaching your goal, whatever it is. Imagine the worst-case scenario and then come up with a backup plan. Ask yourself: what are the facts? Am I making assumptions? What’s the best thing that can happen? Who can I call for help?

Use your fear as a source of guidance. Assess your inner fears and seek possible solutions. Using our example above, you could start a web design side hustle in addition to your regular job. This way, if your business fails, you'll still have an income. If it keeps growing, turn it into a full-time job. With this approach, you'll get to do what you want and mitigate risks.

Don’t fault yourself for being afraid of taking that big step--the massive action that needs to happen to realize  your dream! It’s a natural response to moving out of your comfort zone. But while you shouldn’t rebuke yourself for feeling fearful, neither should you wallow in it so that you never get past it. When fear rears it’s ugly head, use these simple tactics to put it in perspective and move on.

 

Recognize fear is only a feeling

Fear can feel very, very real. But it’s only an emotion that survives and thrives when we dwell on it and start to believe it. The first step in mastering your fear of taking massive action is to remember to tell yourself that fear isn’t real--that it’s only a feeling that can’t hurt you.

 

Remember, everyone has experienced fear of failure

Everyone experiences fear before they try something new. Think Tony Robbins hasn’t experienced fear of failure? Sure he has, and I’m sure he would tell you that himself. Everyone has experienced fear of failure, the fear of looking like a fool, the fear of losing friends when you become too famous, too wealthy, too thin, or whatever. When a moment of panic comes over you, image your role model and remember that they too have experienced fear. But they moved through it anyway.

 

Take the first mini step to conquer your fear

We’ve all heard Newton’s 1st Law of Motion: A body at rest tends to stay at rest, while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. Notice that feeling of fear, and then take that first small step in spite of it. You will feel amazing after you’ve done that one little thing. You’ll realize that you can do it, and you’ll be excited to take that next step. Fear will be replaced by enthusiasm!

 

Use a lifeline to conquer your fear

Sometimes we recognize fear for what it is, but can’t seem to get over the hurdle anyway. That’s the right time to call in some reinforcements. Get a hold of a friend, colleague or family member who is totally on board with your goal. Buy them a cup of coffee and talk to them about your feelings. Use them as a sounding board, ask for their advice or just come on out and ask for a pep talk! This person loves you and has faith that you can achieve your goal, so you don’t need to worry about being embarrassed to tell them that fear has you in a paralyzing grip! They will support you through each step you take; sometimes all we need is to hear a person we love and admire tell us it will be all right.

 

These personality traits appear to be more common among women. They develop in childhood and either exacerbate or diminish with time. If self-doubt plagues you, check out these tips to boost your confidence and trust yourself more:

 

Accept Yourself

Self-doubt is part of being human. Embrace it and turn it into a strength. When used correctly, this personality trait can help you make better decisions, instead of rushing things. Think of it as a tool that guides your actions and keeps you from making costly mistakes.

Just make sure you don't overuse it though because self-doubt can also make you question your sanity and decision-making abilities.

 

Know You're Not Alone

Even the most successful people have doubts. They often question their actions and wonder what the right thing to do is.

Focus on building your confidence and self-esteem. You might never get rid of doubts, but you can stop them from taking over your life.

 

Get the Facts

Your doubts don't necessarily reflect the truth. Most times, they mirror your fears and emotional struggles. Think about your achievements and how hard you worked to get where you are today. Be proud of yourself and admire your capabilities.

Whenever you're in doubt, get the facts straight. Research the problem in question, weigh the pros and cons and ask for a second opinion. 

 

Acknowledge Your Strengths

Make a list of things you excel in. Write down your skills and accomplishments. Accept praise from others gracefully and acknowledge your talent.

Celebrate your strengths every single day. Make positive affirmations and remind yourself how much you've done so far. Stop thinking of what you could have done better.

 

Choose Your Friends Wisely

Negative people can drag you down and ruin your self-esteem. Nothing will ever be good enough for them. That's why it's so important to surround yourself with positive people who support you and listen to you instead of judging.

 

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