5 Steps to Get Past Your Fear

Few of us live our lives without fear of some sort. Fear comes in many forms. For many different types of situations. Fear of appearing weak. Fear of rejection. Fear of failure.

So what exactly is fear? Is there a base root? Something that is present for all types of fear?

Let's examine what the word FEAR actually stands for:

False
Emotion
Appearing
Real

False. Emotion. Appearing. Real. This means that we attach to an emotion on an event with a future outcome that we don't know. Take that in for a moment.

All fear is based on a future event. A future event whose outcome is unknown. Or an expectation of a particular outcome that you don't want to face. Aha! Bet that resonates with a lot of you.

But even the latter has an element of the unknown attached to it. After all, you don't know if you can handle the outcome. But what if you can. How will you ever know if you don't try.

Fear is in the mind. It's a state of mind. And the great news is that any state of mind can be changed. When you change your thoughts, you change everything.

Here are 5 steps to get you past your fear:

1. Break down your lofty goals in segments that are manageable. No more than 3 - 5 steps to complete the manageable goal. Consider each of these a "milestone" to be reached.

2. Celebrate every "milestone". Celebrate in a way that pays homage to your progress. Share with a friend and/or colleagues. Dance. Sing. Whatever constitutes a celebration for you.

3. Consciously allow yourself to take a chance. Yes, there is risk. So give yourself permission to take the risk. Go through it, don't circumvent it. The best payoffs are on the other side of fear. That's where the magic happens.

4. Recognize that failure isn't really failure at all. It is simply an opportunity to learn how not to do it the next time. It was Thomas A Edison who said: "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

5. Get comfortable not knowing the outcome. We fear what we don't know. So get totally comfortable with what you don't know. Embrace it wholeheartedly. Allow yourself to be surprised.

It is only when you break out, then break through your fear that you can break into your own. That you can break open and show how your unique perspective and skills can change the world for the better.

The world is waiting for you. What are you waiting for?