The Obstacle of Fear

Don’t you love it when you find inspiration in the everyday? It is always there, but we don’t always take the time to see it. Recently, I was hit with inspiration from my everyday.

My seven-year-old has been riding horses since she was two and a half. At the age of two, we took her to her first rodeo. She was mesmerized and that was that. Six months later, we had her in lessons and her love for horses has continued to grow.

Recently, on a glorious Southern afternoon, she was bucked head over bottom off the horse she was riding that day. Landing with a thud and tears in her eyes, I saw the first glimpse of fear. The next few practices brought more trepidation until she told me she no longer wanted to ride. Luckily, I am not the kind of mom who will let you quit out of fear. I convinced her to stick it out through summer camp and if she still felt the same, it could be up for discussion. I had a conversation with her instructor and it was agreed the next few lessons would be unstructured so she could find her way back to the joy she felt just being on a horse.

The last practice before the summer camp, you could see the enjoyment on her face. She pushed her horse faster than she had been the previous month and tackled many of the obstacles with ease. (Getting bucked will make you slow down a bit.) After practice, with a gleaming face, she hopped in the car and said to me “Momma, I was crazy. I don’t want to stop riding. I love these horses!” She chose not to give in to fear and I beamed with pride.

What is fear keeping you from?

Are you missing out on that gleaming face of accomplishment by not stepping up? If fear is preventing you from taking the next step, try these four tricks.

Honestly answer the question:

• “What is the worst that could happen?” Once we can think through all the outcomes and have an ability to adapt to the possibilities, the fear lessens.

Visualize yourself as unafraid.

• Confidence begets confidence. By visualizing yourself as confident and unafraid, your internal self will begin to accept that image as truth.

Preparation, preparation, preparation.

• Be clear with what goals will be accomplished by facing this fear. Break the actions up into steps and celebrate your progress. Roleplay different scenarios. Each of these exercises will alleviate the feeling of fear.

Find a guiding light.

• Have you ever noticed how the most successful and talented people keep a lot of help in their corner? There are acting coaches, voice coaches, athletic coaches, finance coaches, life coaches, business coaches, etc. surrounding those at the top. Find your coach.

Don’t let self-doubt win. Face those fears and find out what greatness lies on the other side. Seek a coach who specializes in business or sales. Don’t forget to schedule your growth call with us today.