How To Overcome Fear

Listening to fear leads to failure

Have you ever experienced the fear and terror of doing something new you have never done before?  I know I have.  I’m sure you have too.

How do you overcome the fear you feel when doing something you know will help you have a better life in the long run?  Hopefully this post will give you some guidance and encouragement that will inspire you to keep moving toward your dreams and goals.

What is Fear?

Fear is an emotional state we experience when there is a perceived threat.  When we experience the emotion known as “fear” the subconscious part of us is trying to keep us safe.

When we step outside of our “comfort zone” by doing something new and/or different, this inner ‘child-like’ side of us in effect wants to run away from the perceived threat so much that we may have an adrenaline rush.  This is usually referred to as the fight or flight response.

When Fear Is Good

When there is a real threat and when our life may be in immediate danger this can be a really good thing.  In this case the fight or flight response could even save our life if we were in imminent danger.

When Fear is Not Your Friend

When you are NOT in immediate danger and you are simple wanting to grow as a person and step out of your “comfort zone” by doing something new and/or different such as starting a new business you may also experience the fear response.  You may even experience the associated adrenaline rush and want to go in the opposite direction.

In this instance, fear may hold you back from experiencing new and exciting things like traveling to exciting new places, leaving a dead end job, having an amazing relationship with someone, starting a new business, and it may even keep your income at a lower level than you are truly capable of achieving.

“Maturity is overcoming fear.” – Brendon Burchard

Overcoming Fear

First of all, it is good to realize when you are experiencing a state of fear.  If you can begin to notice and be aware of when you are in the fear state, you can begin to see it a little more objectively.

When I experience fear, I tend to view my subconscious as a scared child that wants me to “run away” from something, even if I know it’s good for me to stay the course.

If you are beginning to search for answers and are looking to create positive change in your life, you may find fear trying to hinder you from taking the steps necessary to move toward your goals.

When you notice this happening within the best thing to do is to allow the fear to be there and see it as a scared child, then realize that the adult part of you can move forward toward your goals and dreams regardless of the fear.

A great book on this subject you may wish to read is: “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyways.” Or you could simply make it a habit.

The Competence-Confidence Cycle

The key to overcoming your unhealthy fears that are holding you back from your goals is consistently feeling the fear and doing what you need to do regardless of the fear.  The more you take inspired action toward your goals (like starting your own business), the more confidence you get in your ability, the more competent you become at the tasks necessary to propel you toward your dreams and goals, the sooner those fears will begin to disappear.

As you progressively reach your current goals and replace them with new goals that make you stretch and grow more, you will find new fears arising within.  Now that you know that you can feel the fear, take consistent appropriate action long enough, then the fear will dissolve, you can repeat the competence-confidence cycle and overcome any hurdle life throws at you.

You CAN reach your goals and dreams.  When you get more comfortable with being uncomfortable (frequently stepping out of the “comfort zone”), you will make faster forward progress toward your goal.  Go for it!  I know you can do it!

“The opposite of focus is fear.” – James Wedmore

What fears are you working at overcoming?  What fears have you succeeded at overcoming in your life?  I would love to hear your thoughts in a comment below.   Thank you for reading and sharing.

William King

William currently lives in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia, Canada with his wife Natasha and cat Noah. He has been cleaning windows professionally since 2004. William has worked for multiple window cleaning companies as both an employee and a subcontractor until he committed to building his own business in 2012. His business has grown since to provide a very nice income for the family. Natasha manages the office and accounting of the business as it continues to grow. With 28+ years of experience in the cleaning industry, William's intention with this website is to share his experience and knowledge with people who would like to learn how to create their own window / gutter cleaning service business.

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