Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway

Fear is often described as False Evidence Appearing Real—emphasis must be placed on the words false evidence. The only way to fight fear of any kind is with action. It proves to you, by your own lived experience, that you can get past whatever you’re afraid of—even failure. I’ve learned over the years that fear of failure can be overcome with self-confidence and the understanding that failure offers lessons, even guidance, for how to act in the future.

Sometimes there are internal conflicts that can challenge us, such as inadequacy, rejection, change, or judgment. What do you tell yourself? What is your internal narrative? Those internal conversations can either feed your courage or fuel your fear. Don’t be afraid to examine what you are telling yourself every day and begin to change your internal narrative. It will produce courage.

Here are four strategies to consider:

  1. Do it afraid. Just because you’re afraid doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Even if you fail, you still win because you’ve pushed yourself beyond your comfort zone; so win or lose, you’ve exceeded your own expectations.
  2. Review your achievements. Let your accomplishments remind, comfort, and encourage you. You’ve already done things that others have not done or could not do. The current opportunity is no different.
  3. Be fully self-aware. Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Overcoming your fear of failure means embracing all that you are personally and professionally, whether you are aligning to a job description, knowledge requirements, experience, or relationship or family responsibilities.
  4. Seek guidance from your personal board of directors—people invested in your journey and success, who you can consult when you feel afraid or uncertain. Personally, my board comes from many sectors and networks: financial, spiritual, business—and there’s always a family member. While diverse and divergent in opinion, they collectively push me to purpose and do not allow me to stop trying. They force me to make courageous and informed choices.