How to do things you are afraid of
"What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?" "What's worth doing even if you fail? - Brene Brown
A few years ago, a professor shared a valuable approach to facing my fears that I had never considered before. She advised me to think about strategies I can implement when I plan on doing things I am afraid of. Previously, I had never thought about actively addressing my fears through action.
To succeed and be fulfilled in life, you need to do many things you are afraid of. If your approach is to wait until you have no fear before you take a step, you will miss some great opportunities.
Are you starting a new job or role, chasing your dreams, working towards achieving your goals, moving to a new town or country, making lifestyle changes or doing something new? This post is dedicated to you.
In this blog post, we will explore seven strategies to overcome your fear through action.
Why should you do things you are afraid of?
It's the only way to make progress in life.
It helps you overcome your fear.
You learn to unblock yourself when you feel stuck.
You achieve goals that you never expected.
Strategies to overcome your fear and do things you are afraid of
Acknowledge your fear
Often, we wonder what holds us back and stops us from embracing new opportunities. The fear of failing is one of the biggest reasons why we don't achieve new and bigger goals. Think about all the opportunities you have missed because of fear. It is natural to be afraid, but it should not stop you from taking a step.
Questions to consider
What are you afraid of with regards to achieving your goals?
What is the worst thing that could happen if you take a step?
Prepare yourself for the journey ahead
To get more comfortable with making a move, make time to do some research and think through what you need to want to do. The good thing about most of the things we plan to do, we are hardly the first people to do it. Take advantage of the opportunity to research what other people in a similar situation have done and talk to people around you for input.
Questions to consider
How can you prepare yourself?
What has worked in the past when you were preparing for something new?
Create a plan to achieve your goals
Often when we approach the big tasks that we fear, we can't imagine how we can take action. Break down those big tasks into smaller tasks and plan them. Set milestones to help you measure your progress.
Questions to consider
How are you planning to achieve your goals?
How will you measure progress?
Equip yourself with the right tools
Tools, tips, and techniques help us solve the challenges we face as we achieve our goals. After you have identified what you are going to do, research available tools that can simplify the tasks. Some examples of useful tools may be a calendar for planning or courses and trainings to learn new skills.
Questions to consider
What tools will help me on my journey?
Do I have the tools already or need to get them?
Take the first step
It may sound too easy, but now that you have done some research, prepared yourself, it is time to act. Be careful not to wait for too long to make a move. The best way to overcome your fear of doing something new is to do it.
Questions to consider
What steps can you take?
What are you going to do within the next month?
Continue learning and improving
As you take a step into the unknown, it is crucial to be prepared to learn and improve continuously. Having a growth mindset will help you cross the hurdle of getting started and also get better results as you are interested in growing and learning through the process.
Questions to consider
How can you ensure you learn through the process of taking a step towards your goals?
How can you apply your learnings and improve?
Celebrate your achievements
Now that you have decided to do something you are afraid of, keep track of your accomplishments. Your achievement log will show you the tangible results of the move you made and serve as motivation when you start feeling discouraged.
Questions to consider
What have you achieved since you started doing things you were afraid of?
How often will you review your achievements?
Call for Action
What is that thing you will do if you were not afraid? Challenge yourself to take action and apply the strategies above. Share with your community.
Final Thoughts
On our journey, we will continuously face opportunities that seem bigger than us - embrace them.
Being afraid is not a sign of weakness - it is a sign of work we need to do.
You can do it - take a step today!!
Great Resources
