Face your fear and grow
"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek” -Joseph Campbell
Fear, if given the opportunity will stop you from growing.
Society has made us think that we need to live up to such ridiculous levels of achievement that fear can hit us in almost every area of our life.
At the tip of our fingertips we have the ability to tap in to the most amazing stories of great achievement going back centuries to inspire and motivate us. Alongside this a magnified view on how some think we should show up online with a lot of bullshit and bravado but not a lot of substance or attainment to back it up. Either way you look at it all a lot to live up to or be judged on.
Fear will also appear in any given task or action that we need to take that really drives us forwards completely past our comfort zone and in to the new.
Then there are the one or two things that when we think of fill us with a bit of dread. And anyone human has or had them. The things that you knew if you did would propel you massively forwards, but skirt around from doing.
If you want to move forwards, you will have to face challenges that you don’t won’t to. The simple fact is that if you don’t you won’t grow. Not truly grow.
Did you know that amongst the most common regrets that people have later on in life are missed opportunities, wishing that they had accomplishing more, procrastinations and not forming better habits?
You have one life and it is up to you what you choose to do with it.
Nothing great comes easily.
"Life shrinks and expands according to ones courage” - Anais Nin
So what is fear?
Fear is a reaction to what is going on around you, a perceived level of threat going back to very basic but now outdated human instincts.
However the feeling of fear is actually within you, it is not the air around you, you created it.
Just like that Friday feeling or the feeling you get when your favourite tune comes on, it’s just another feeling you have linked to something. In this case a negative one.
Phil Stutz, Psychotherapist and creator of The Tools® calls this zone Part X. He describes it as:
“An invisible force that keeps you from changing. Imagine Part X as the villain on the journey of your evolution as a human”.
It’s like we create a ceiling above us or line around us and say ‘this is where I feel safe and if I go out of this zone something bad will happen’. Rubbish.
You know what? Humans are amazing, and we have the ability to adapt to our surroundings and what we need to do to survive.
You have to get out of your comfort zone or feel fear to change or grow.
Now depending on the task at hand and the preparation you were able to do, you may well feel immense fear leading up to what you need to do or during the start of it.
But It will pass
Once you have taken this action, then your mind will allow you to be able to recognise that this is a safe place and allow you to do that again, with less anticipation. You will also be rewiring your subconscious to tell yourself on the deepest level that you can actually do this. Never mind feeling a bad ass!
You can move your life forwards massively if you lean in to and push past what you fear.
Takeaway Tips & Tools:
Focus on what moving past the fear will bring you. Your goal.
See yourself completing the task or project well
Take smaller actions towards it at the beginning to build up momentum and confidence
Stop over thinking it and just get on with it.
Don’t listen to doubters, listen to those that lift you up and support you.
Remind yourself that the fear is just within you, it’s not around you.
Define an affirmation for example “I am confident at pitching and completely believe that this business will take the world by storm” and feel it.
Think of something bigger than the fear, the ‘why’ you are doing this
Breath, breath, breath, place your hand on your chest and reconnect with yourself and re focus.
Think of someone or something that motivates you massively to achieve this, could be your child or a cause. Tap in to that feeling and bring it in as a tool to use to push you through.
Books to Read:
Feel the fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers
The Tools by Phil Stutz
The Confidence Gap: A Guide To Overcoming Fear And Self-Doubt by Russ Harris
Do It Scared: Finding The Courage To Face Your Fears, Overcome Adversity, And Create A Life You Love by Ruth Soukup
How can I help?
Does any of the above resonate with you? Could you benefit from the support of a dynamic and directional coach to help drive you forwards? I work on all areas that will help my clients move forwards including moving barriers to performance and growth.
Check out the Entrepreneur Coaching Package HERE
Got a question about this area and how my coaching can help? Book a discovery call HERE
"Fear is only as deep as the mind allows” - Japanese Proverb
About Sian Winfield
Sian has spent the last two and a half decades working with those that have made the choice to take action. From the fitness industry as a fitness professional to NLP coach and trainer working with Traders to attain peak performance in London City. Moving on to start her own company 7 years ago within which she has had the fortune of being involved with the successful growth and scaling of over 200 start-ups.
Empowering hundreds of entrepreneurs internationally coaching individually and through group programmes most recently including programmes such as Foundervine & Barclays Black Founder Accelerator Programme and mentoring for The Peter Jones Foundation.
Her experience has provided her with a huge wealth of experience in how others have attained their success and she is hungry to share her learning with as many people as possible.
Connecting with Sian
If you are interested in finding more about Sian and her coaching visit her website HERE
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