I’ve talked a lot about fear and how it can rob authors of their dreams.
Imagining a wildly successful outcome can spark a level of joy that motivates and encourages people to take action in a big way. But it an also spark fear in many and stop people in their tracks.
Did you know that you can be afraid and be successful at the same time?
It’s true. Dealing with the unknown is a natural part of being successful. There are many risks, roadblocks, and potential problems that spring up along the way and it’s normal to be afraid of what could happen.
It’s also expected that to succeed one must operate with some degree of fear as they take bold action without knowing with certainty how things will turn out.
Some fear is healthy
Fear can alert you to check things out and make sure you’re doing the right thing and it can keep you safe if you don’t allow it to keep you inactive. It’s good to be fearful of personal safety, legal issues, or activities that could cause harm. These fears are in service of your success and could prevent problems for you so it is a good thing to listen and be careful.
You can use the fear to motivate you.
Fear can be a great motivator. You can use it to propel you forward and let it help you mature and become stronger and bolder.
Each time you face a fear…or do something while you’re afraid, you learn that you are stronger than you thought, and you gain wisdom that you didn’t know you had.
Over time, fear can even become an indicator that you’re about to grow and level up as my friend and Disruptive Author Paula Burgess often says.
Everyone experiences fear.
It may seem like successful people have no fear, but that’s not true. Everyone is afraid of something, but some people have learned to do things while they are afraid.
What looks like confidence may actually be someone figuring it out as they go. The simple act of doing things that scare you is a bold and courageous move, and taking action when you could choose to stand still is something to be proud of.
Success in the face of fear is sweeter.
Having to overcome fear to arrive at success can make it much more meaningful. When you have to work hard to get what you want, it matters all the more. Success is sweeter when you’ve had to face tough situations to achieve it.
Knowing what you’ve managed to overcome builds confidence and creates a healthy mindset about taking risk and the benefits that come from doing things while you’re afraid.
You deserve to be successful so don’t let your fear of success hold you back.
3 Tips to Bust your Fears
Know that the fear of success can be a subconscious reaction to worries and perceptions you have about being successful. Everyone worries no matter how big their goals and dreams. The key is to be willing to commit to your goals and bust through the fears when they arise.
Think of FEAR is an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. That means a lot of the worries that come from fear never evolve past your thoughts.
Essentially, the time you spend worrying is worse than what may actually come up along the way to success.
You can let yourself be held back by fear, or you can bust through your fear and start to work things out.
Here are 3 tips to help you bust through the fear when it starts getting in your way:
Tip #1: Get the right mindset
Tip #2: Get a mentor
Tip #3: Get familiar with change
Tip #1: Get the right mindset
Know that your thoughts and feelings drive your actions. Having the wrong mindset can make busting through fear even harder. If your mindset is negative and focused on what can go wrong, it’s more likely you’ll hesitate. Working on how you perceive things and shifting your mindset can help a lot. Putting time and energy into developing a positive mindset can have an impact on your willingness to take risks and bust through fears.
Tip #2: Get a mentor
Having someone you can trust and lean on can also help a lot. A lot of fear is based on the unknown or worry that you’ll be unprepared for a calamity you didn’t expect. Mentors can relieve a lot of anxiety by offering their expertise, wisdom, knowledge, and support. Mentors have already faced many of the fears you are going to have to face, and they’ll have solutions that will make things easier for you. A great mentor is part advisor, part cheerleader, and part trusted friend.
Tip #3: Get familiar with change
If you resist change and opt for security, then fearing change can stop you from achieving your goals. Everything changes, and people who adapt easily are more likely to find success. Getting used to change can reduce anxiety and normalise risk-taking behaviour.
Change isn’t negative. Change is natural and brings opportunities. Learning to be open-minded to change and seeing it as part of the process helps you embrace change as inevitable and welcome.
That’s it from me for today. I hope it has been helpful and that you can put some of these things into action to help you push through and achieve your goals.
If you would like to find out about our Authorpreneur’s Bootcamp where we teach authors how to write, publish and promote their books, go to www.disruptivepublishing.com.au/jointheclub
It’s the best time to join the bootcamp and we’d love to welcome you there.
And if you would like to book in for a free information call, go to www.calendly.com/disruptivepublishing/freeinfosession and we can chat about the best path for you to take with your writing.
Have a great week and I will be back again soon.