Does fear hold you back from reaching your full potential?
I recently stumbled upon a list I had made about a year and a half ago. It was simply entitled “Fears” and on it were 9 things that scared me about quitting my recruiting job and starting my coaching business.
Some of the things on the list were:
Losing money,
Being in over my head,
Unhappy clients,
Not knowing enough, and
Having a bad website.
At the time, I wrote this list all these fears felt very real and quite scary. I knew I needed to quit my job but my fears were holding me back from pursuing my dream.
Here I am, 18 months later, working full time on my coaching business. How did I get from there to here? How did I get the courage to quit my secure job of 7 plus years and take a leap of faith to pursue my dream career? More importantly, how can YOU move from a job that doesn’t nurture you to one that makes you happy every day?
Overcoming Fear
A few years ago, I was presented with the opportunity to overcome my fear of public speaking. A friend encouraged me to speak at a local event in front of thousands of people. My first response was an emphatic “No”.
And then I heard that little voice inside my head. The one that tells you to listen to the discomfort and push past it. I knew that I had to speak and that once I had, other fears would follow. Although I was shaking when I got to the stage, speaking in front of that crowd was incredibly empowering.
Not only did I get through my speech, I really enjoyed the experience. I felt energized and powerful. It was awesome.
Imagine the Possibilities
Following this experience, other fears began to fall away. It wasn’t easy, but whenever I heard that voice, I knew I was holding myself back. Once I identified the pattern of aversion to discomfort, it was easier to take a step back, realize how silly I was being, and just go for it. When I feel a little sick to my stomach when making a decision, I know I’m heading in the right direction.
If you need to take baby steps, that’s okay. Slow progress is still progress.
Great things can happen if you get out of your own way. Usually, you are the one stopping yourself from reaching your potential. You are often your own worst enemy, telling yourself you can’t do things due to any number of reasons, filling your head and your heart with self-doubt.
Imagine how your life would change if you simply started ignoring those self-defeating voices and started trying things outside of your comfort zone.
Would you ask for that promotion?
Try something new that’s always scared you?
Would you move to a new place?
Try a new art form or sport?
What’s holding you back? Tell me about it in the comments, below.
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