"The only thing you need to do right now is face yourself.

Look you in the mirror and explain why you haven't tried to improve your vision.

That vision called life. The one you were sent here to live, not exist in."

Anthea Armar

Not too long ago, I was invited to write a speech for a company I was due to work with to motivate their subscribers (excerpt above). The feeling they wanted them to walk away with was 'it's okay to follow your dreams.'

As I sat down to put my thoughts to paper, I realised the one thing that holds everyone back isn't fear, it's the thought of the fear coming true.

You spend so much time regretting not doing things and planning in the next season to do them, just to later regret not doing them again. With this vicious cycle, at what point are you actually living?

At what point are you taking the actions that shape your character to have the things you really desire? Wanting isn't enough. Dreaming isn't enough. Hoping isn't enough. Blaming others isn't enough.

You not having what you want is based on your inability to breathe life into your dreams and death into your fears.

According to Wealth Research Group, 98% of people die without fulfilling their dreams. Imagine how many innovations, inspirations, love, happiness, solutions, overcome challenges, help, support, saved lives didn't happen because 98% of people thought that the fear of doing what they were born to do was too much to bear?

"Time cannot be replenished."

Anthea Armar

How does fear impact me?

The answer to this goes much deeper than would be acceptable to write about in this blog, so I'll mentioned three key things:

1. Fear can prevent you from taking risks.

In order to be successful, you need to take risks. But fear can often prevent you from taking the necessary risks that could lead to the success you desire. You might be afraid of failing or of not being good enough. But if you allow fear to hold you back, you'll never know what you are capable of achieving.

2. Fear can limit your potential.

Your potential is limitless. But if you're constantly living in fear, you'll never reach your full potential. Fear can cause you to doubt yourself and your abilities. It can make you second-guess your decisions and choices. This is where a lack of confidence, anxiety and stress can creep in. But if you want to be successful, you need to learn to push past your fears and doubts.

3. Fear can hold you back from living a fulfilling life.

Fear can prevent you from living a fulfilling and meaningful life. If you're always afraid of what might happen, you'll miss out on all the good that life has to offer. You'll miss out on opportunities and experiences. You'll miss out on relationships and connections. So don't let fear hold you back from living the life you want to live.

"Your dreams and your fears cannot coexist."

Anthea Armar

The time you shoulda, coulda, woulda done all those things has passed. The great thing is that it's never too late to change your mind.

To avoid gifting the grave with your dreams, actively work on the thoughts you have. Decide that whatever you need to do is more important than sitting in your comfort. That no matter where you came from, what you own, what you know and what others have told you is possible for you, none of it matters, if fear wins.

Only what you think and believe matters.

Your dreams and your fears cannot coexist. So decide whether the passions you have, the people you want to help, the lives you'll save, the love you'll give, the solutions you'll provide are worth more to you in the time you have on this earth or if you want to selfishly take them to the grave, where no one benefits.

How can I overcome fear?

This will be a three-pronged approach starting with a clear organisational vision for learning and transformation and how that filters down to an individual level:

1. Understand what is causing your fear

The first step to overcoming your fears is to understand what is causing them. Are you afraid of heights because you have had a bad experience in the past? Or are you afraid of public speaking because you are worried about what other people will think of you? Once you know what is causing your fear, you can begin to work on overcoming it.

2. Face your fear head-on

One of the best ways to overcome your fears is to face them head-on. If you are afraid of heights, go to the top of a tall building or take a hike up a mountain. If you are afraid of public speaking, sign up for a Toastmasters class or give a speech in front of your friends and family. Facing your fears head-on will help you to realise that they are not as scary as you thought they were.

3. Create a 'Freedom from Fear' plan

Once you have faced your fear head-on, it is important to create a plan for how you will deal with it in the future. If you are afraid of heights, make sure to always bring someone with you when you go to a tall place. If you are afraid of public speaking, practice your speeches beforehand and focus on positive visualisation. Having a plan in place will help to reduce your anxiety and give you the confidence to face your fears again in the future.

Conclusion

Be confident in the fact that you have been given a unique purpose that only you can fulfil. Knowing that allows you to push aside the limiting beliefs keeping you trapped in negative thoughts.

This isn't to say that everything you try will work. That's not the point. If you don't try, you won't learn. If you don't learn, you won't improve. If you don't improve, you can't overcome. If you don't overcome, you can't inspire.

Someone is waiting for you to show up so their life can change. To do that, something has to die.

So what will you allow to die in you?

Your fears or your dreams?

Want to dive deeper?

Amarkai Group offers coaching that challenge perspectives, educate and encourage reflection and action. Our intention is to align the coaching to the challenges in your life and organisation and provide individual encouragement to identify the action they can each take to resolve them.

Our focus is on creating awareness of some of the challenges, signs and beliefs being experienced in the workplace that are preventing individuals, teams and organisations on the whole from achieving their full potential.

Contact us today to learn more about coaching to create your vision, develop and implement a plan for success.

Other resources to help you fight fear

Everyone has fears and doubts, but some people manage to overcome them and achieve success while others let them hold them back. The difference between these two groups is often a success mindset.

People with a success mindset believe in their ability to overcome challenges and fulfil their potential. They identify their limiting beliefs and work to overcome them. On the other hand, people with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities are static and that they are not capable of change or growth. As a result, they never reach their full potential.

If you want to be successful, it is essential to develop a success mindset. Get your free copy of the Overcoming Limiting Beliefs digital workbook to help you identify your fears and doubts, and then take action to overcome them. This will allow you to tap into your hidden potential and achieve success in whatever you set your mind to.

That, is priceless!