Embracing Fear

One of the challenges of doing something new is that you don’t know the outcome for certain. Not only that, you may not be sure what you need to do to reach where you want to be.

Maybe you are very good at what you currently do. You have a reputation. You’ve gained expertise to the point that many problems and situations seem obvious to you. It may seem to others that you work by intuition. You’ve achieved mastery. But to continue growing, to be where you need to be in the future, you need to step out of your comfort zone.

Stepping into the unknown triggers all kinds of excuses in your mind. It may not work. It’s not in my area of expertise. I don’t think I will enjoy it. I’ve tried before, and it didn’t work. I don’t have time. I’m tired. I’m afraid.

Recognizing the symptoms and understanding that embracing fear is part of the process is key to moving forward. You cannot move forward if you keep both feet on the ground.

This is the first week of the year. What projects are we delaying because of our reluctance to dance with fear?