What Fears Are Keeping You Stuck?

What are you afraid of? Is fear of failure, change, regrets, or even success keeping you from moving forward toward the life and business you desire?

We all have fears. So, the question becomes, what can you do to overcome those fears and keep moving forward?

According to Dictionary.com, fear is defined as, 1) a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined, 2) the feeling or condition of being afraid, and 3) concern or anxiety. Fear has served us well in terms of survival as a species, and it still has a valid place in the world we live in today. But when fear starts to keep us from doing the things we want or need to do to make the most of our lives, it becomes a problem. By acknowledging it and reframing our thinking, we can find ways to push through in spite of it.

My philosophy in life is that I never lose. I either win or I learn. So, any mistake I might make or path I choose to take becomes an opportunity for growth. Reframing my thinking in that way, alleviates a lot of fear.

In situations where life and death are not a consideration, but fear is holding us back from our best life, triumphing over fear becomes a mindset thing, followed by action. Plain and simple.

Try thinking of fear from that perspective.

Fear of failure –

Realistically, what would happen if you failed? We imagine humiliation, ruin, and a never-ending chorus of I-told-you-so from naysayers in our lives. But few people succeed at everything they try. A lot of famous success stories include years of missteps and trial-and-error, but we usually only hear about the final success – not the journey they took to get there.

Failing at something doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. We learn from every mistake we make. So, step through the fear, ignore the naysayers and that negative inner voice, and take the journey confidently… with a willingness to learn from all of it!

Fear of success –

Are you just as afraid you’ll succeed as you are that you’ll fail? This may not make sense on the surface, but some may fear success because they believe, for some reason, that they’re undeserving or incapable of success. We all have an unconscious narrative about ourselves that comes from the messages we’ve internalized throughout our lives – both positive and negative. An inner narrative that is negative or self-limiting can sabotage our efforts and dreams in life. Change your story to one YOU choose. Remember, fear is just False Evidence Appearing Real. Call its bluff!

Fear of change –

Some people are energized by change, but for most of us, change can be difficult. We fear the unknown and prefer our comfort zone. And even if where we are right now isn’t a situation or a place that we’re happy with, the idea that the change could be worse than where we are can keep us stuck. But, unless you were born yesterday, you’ve probably been through a lot of change in your life. Think of all you would have missed if nothing ever changed in your life. Change can be good. Try reframing it that way and thinking of change in terms of possibilities, rather than something to fear. 

Fear of regret –

The fear of making the ‘wrong’ choice and regretting it is a common one.  We can feel paralyzed by the fear that we will choose the wrong thing when faced with a decision. But very few choices in life are so big that the result of making the wrong choice would be catastrophic. And if we live our lives with the fear of regret, we may actually end up regretting the paths we didn’t choose because of our fear. So, make your best decision with the information you have, and go for it. Even if the choice you make doesn’t work out as well as you’d hoped, you’ll learn from the experience. And making a ‘wrong’ choice may lead you to a better path down the road.

In the years I’ve been coaching and working with business owners, I’ve often found these fears to be stumbling blocks for so many. We tend to think in terms of tangible things outside ourselves as the cause for struggles in business and in life. But, sometimes, the answer to our struggles also lies within.

Positioning ourselves for success is both an inside and an outside job. Even if you’re doing everything right on the outside, unrealized fears and a limiting mindset can still keep you stuck. So, acknowledge, understand, and walk through those fears. And don’t let the fear of making mistakes keep you from creating the life you desire.

Here are a couple of great articles on overcoming fear and self-doubt.

Overcoming fear of failure

Overcoming self-doubt