Of all the emotions I’ve felt throughout my life, the only one I really regret is fear. Well, no. I don’t regret feeling fear, necessarily. Fear can be helpful in certain situations – like when danger occurs and triggers your “flight or fight” mechanism.
So, I should say that I regret those times when I let fear of the unknown stop me from taking powerful action. Here are some hypothetical examples of what I’m talking about.
- Maybe you had a job offer that seemed enticing, but some risky element kept you in an unfulfilling (but safe) situation.
- Have you stayed in a lifeless relationship because you were afraid you’d never find another companion?
- Have you ever wanted to start exercising but were too afraid of how it might feel walking into a strange gym for the first time?
I used to make those decisions too often. And then I looked closer and found that sometimes my fear had actually been just anxiety or uncertainty. And I looked at friends who had succeeded despite their similar worries. You know, courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s acknowledging the fear and doing the right thing anyway.
So, what are you afraid of that’s holding you back?
- Make a rational decision based on probable outcomes.
- Ask what’s the worst that can happen, and if you’d be OK with it.
- Fully imagine what success will look like, taste like, sound like, and feel like.
Accept the fear or dismantle it – but BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, and there’s nothing you can’t do.
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