By Ustaz Mark Bang
When you try to ignore your fear, it grows. When you face it, it shrinks.
At the beginning of each New Year, many people consider making resolutions to change for the better. Of those who succeed in making resolutions, many fail. But many fail before they give success a chance because of fear. Some are afraid of failure; others are afraid of success. Regardless of the source of the fear, it immobilizes too many and prevents them from achieving what they desire and are capable of. There is no more sure way to fail than never to try. This year, don’t let fear kill your hustle before you even get moving. Here are some of the items to overcome fear and make this year the one where nothing holds you back.
Firstly, understand fear and embrace it: Fear exists to keep us safe. It is not inherently bad or good but a tool we can use to make better decisions. Fear isn’t designed to keep us inactive but to help us act in ways that generate the results we need and want. Embrace fear as instruction and let it inform your actions, but not control them.
Secondly, don’t just do something; stand there! We tend to admire people who are quick to action, but being deliberate, creating a plan, and pacing yourself are also actions. Many a successful undertaking has been threatened or ruined by haste alone. When fear strikes, consider whether the correct action might be to analyze the options and make a wise, well-thought-out choice rather than jumping to what seems right in the heat of the moment.
Thirdly, name the fear. Sometimes merely stating what your fear is gives you the strength to deal with it. Say your fear out loud, write it down, or focus your mind on it. When you try to ignore your fear, it grows. When you face it, it shrinks.
Fourthly, think long term: If you’re an entrepreneur, you may be afraid you won’t make the next payroll. But what’s your three-month outlook, or the outlook for three years from now? Thinking about the long term won’t fix your short-term problem, but it can help you think about it more objectively and come up with the right solution.
Finally, educate yourself. We are afraid of nothing so much as the unknown. If your fear is based on a lack of information, then get the information or knowledge you need to examine the situation based on facts rather than speculation. Prepare, practice, role play. The long-standing top fear in the United States is public speaking. In many surveys, death itself ranks in second place to standing in front of a group and opening your mouth. If your fear is related to your performance in a certain activity, then prepare, practice, and role-play. Utilize peer pressure. Have you ever done something scary, like jumping off a high bridge into a river below, only because you were with friends who were egging you on? Peer pressure, like fear itself, can be positive or negative depending on how it’s wielded. Surround yourself with people who will push you to overcome the fears that are holding you back from what you want. Visualize success. Athletes may imagine the successful completion of a physical task thousands of times before achieving it. This mental mapping ensures that when the body moves, it’s more likely to follow its preordained path. The same practice will prepare you to succeed at whatever you’re trying to achieve. Gain a sense of proportion. How big of a deal, really, is the thing you’re afraid of? We sometimes get so caught up in the success or failure of a particular quest that we lose sense of where it fits in with everything else we value. Ask yourself, what’s the worst that can happen? Sometimes the reality is bad, but often you might find that the fear itself is worse than whatever it is you’re afraid of happening.
Get help. Whatever you’re afraid of, is it something you have to do alone? Can you find a mentor or support group to help you through it? Athletes have coaches. Students have teachers. Sometimes friends, even if they have no expertise in the area you’re struggling with, can provide the needed support to face your fear. When you try to ignore your fear, it grows. When you face it, it shrinks. At the beginning of each New Year, many people consider making resolutions to change for the better. Of those who succeed in making resolutions, many fail. But many fail before they give success a chance because of fear. Some are afraid of failure; others are afraid of success. Regardless of the source of the fear, it immobilizes too many and prevents them from achieving what they desire and are capable of. There is no more sure way to fail than to never try. This year, don’t let fear kill your hustle before you even get moving. Here are 14 ways to overcome fear and make this year the one where nothing holds you back. When you try to ignore your fear, it grows. When you face it, it shrinks.
Put forth reachable objectives: Defining feasible objectives can assist you with building trust in your capacities. Begin with little objectives and continuously move gradually up to bigger ones. Center around your assets: Rather than zeroing in on your shortcomings or saw imperfections, center around your assets and achievements.
Commend your triumphs, regardless of how little. Practice taking care of oneself: Dealing with yourself can assist with supporting your certainty and diminish healthy identity questions. Make a point to get sufficient rest, eat a sound eating regimen, work out consistently, and participate in exercises that give you pleasure. Recollect that beating self-questions takes time and exertion. Show restraint toward yourself and commend your advancement en route. Thanks for reading this article. “Public Staunchest Ally.”
The writer of this article is a human rights activist, writer, and professional teacher.