How overcoming fears and anxiety will get you closer to your goals.

We all have fears. They have been around since the beginning of time. Although fears may not go away completely, there are ways to crush it. Make overcoming fears a key focus and you will realize more success and fulfillment in life.

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."
-Dale Carnegie

Why Do We Fear?

Fear, uncertainty, doubt, anxiety - we are familiar with these. If we're honest with ourselves, they are in the back of our minds - or maybe at the forefront - daily.

I'm no brain scientist, but I hear that all information and data we encounter - including fear - get filtered first through our amygdala. This is the first filter of anything that comes into our thinking.

Our first reaction is either fight, flight, freeze or appease. It's our body's response and built-in system designed to protect us from threat or danger.

"Don't let the fear of striking out hold you back."

-Babe Ruth

Best Method for Overcoming Fears?

To get out of that paralyzing state of the amygdala and move into the more creative - and largest - part of our brain, we must face and define our fears. While it may seem uncomfortable, truly facing your fears is a skill set that needs to be developed. Once you define fear it loses its grip on you. Literally pulling out a piece of paper (or downloading the worksheet found in Ultimate Guide to Overcoming Fears, Gain Confidence & Pursue Your Dreams) to list the fears then ways to mitigate them is a powerful exercise.

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
-Eleanor Roosevelt

Objects in Mirror...

Remember car review mirrors and the cautionary message of "objects in mirror are closer than they appear"?  Fear is a lot like that. Usually, we make our fears appear much larger than they really are. Not until we define, look in the face and discover ways to move past our fear can we have victory over this nasty emotion.

What About You?

How do you approach overcoming fears? What's worked - or what hasn't?  I'd love to hear.

I enjoy coaching around fear and helping people build confidence. There are some clear strategies to set you up for success in this area. I'm happy to chat more so reach out and let's work on overcoming fears together. I developed an 8-part framework over at The Forge. Learn the 8 C's to Confidence in an on-demand video course or go deeper with a weekly live call group of likeminded people on this journey toward greater confidence and crushing fears.

I also address fears - the FUD Factor - over on my Instagram account so let's connect there too.

"Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones."
-Thich Nhat Hanh