All Things Inspired

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure!

Last week we entered the conversation about what do we have to fear and how not confronting our fears and overcoming them may leave us paralyzed by our fear. During that discussion, we paraphrased a quote from the movie Coach Carter that said our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate but that we are powerful beyond measure. And this would indicate that we might fear our own success in life, and how we handle that success.

I think we've all heard the phrase "fear of failure". But have you ever heard anyone say they have a fear of success?

We've talked about having the vision to achieve lasting change and reaching your goals. Vision doesn't just provide the source of inspiration to reach your goals, it helps identify and overcome the obstacles in the path to success. Often the obstacles in our path are the fear of failure, self-doubt, and procrastination. And sometimes we unconsciously fear achieving the very things we are striving for. Do you have the fear of success? You must also have the vision to truly self-assess if you have a fear of success!

Motivational speaker, Dennis Waitley once said...

Procrastination is the fear of success. People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now. Because success is heavy, carries a responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the "someday I'll" philosophy.

Motivational fear comes in two packages: fear of failure and fear of success. The difference between the two, despite the obvious, is that fear of success is far more dangerous. It can be just as crippling as the fear of failure, if not more. This is so because the subconscious mind works to prevent what it fears. People can fear success out of guilt, self-esteem, feeling undeserving, or that it will increase what others expect of them, thus restoring the fear of failure. Fear of success disguises itself as anxiety, indecision, avoidance, procrastination, and settling for mediocrity.

You need to understand why you allow the fear of success to make you powerless. To do so, you must ask yourself these questions...

What have I been trying to avoid?
What emotion am I not willing to let go of if I have success?
Do I fear changing the habits that control my comfort zone?
What am I afraid of losing if I succeed?
Am I more afraid to fail if I take chances, or more afraid to succeed and not be able to live up to the expectations that come with success?

As with many challenges, the "what if's" always play a part. You must answer these questions of yourself with honesty. Attack the challenges ahead of you everyday step by step. And ultimately give success a try. You've earned that opportunity!

In covering numerous types of fear, including a deeper examination of our fear being not of failing but rather succeeding, now it's time to consider some ways to overcome your fears. Fear is nothing more than an obstacle that stands in the way of progress. Only by overcoming fear can we move forward toward our goals, being stronger and wiser within ourselves.

The following recommendations on conquering fear in your life are worth considering...

Understand fear and embrace it - ever think about why fear exists? It exists to keep us safe. Fear isn't necessarily good or bad, but a tool we can use to make better decisions. Don't let it keep you inactive. The value of embracing it is in the instruction it provides. Let it inform your actions, but not control them.
Identify your fear - often just acknowledging what your fear is, gives you the strength to deal with it. When you try to ignore your fear, it just grows. When you face it, it shrinks. Learning how to overcome fear is much like any problem-solving challenge in that you must identify the challenge to overcome it.
Educate yourself- the unknown is often frightening. Gathering and understanding the information around your initial fear will allow you to examine the situation based on facts rather than speculation.
Preparation - as we covered in last week's article, being prepared can overcome fear. If your fear is related to your performance in a certain activity then prepare, practice, and execute your plan.
Visualize success - the mental mapping of visualizing success ensures that when the body moves, it's more likely to follow its pre-ordained path. The same practice will prepare you to succeed at whatever you choose to achieve.
Have a positive attitude - simply said, you can't have a good day with a bad attitude, and you can't have a bad day with a good attitude.
Adopt a growth mindset - when you're afraid, you tend to stay in one place. What if you make a mistake? What if you fail? You start to believe you can't progress at all, that you're incapable of it - the fear holds you back. One of the most powerful tips to overcome fear and anxiety is to adopt a growth mindset.

As a reminder, the characteristics of a growth mindset include these seven observations:

Failure is an opportunity to grow
Being inspired by the success of others opens your mind to possibilities for yourself
Effort and attitude determine your ability
Feedback is constructive to growth
Challenges help growth
Willingness to try new things opens up a world of possibilities
Place no limits on learning

In closing this topic, American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "What you are afraid to do is a clear indication of the next thing you need to do." This means there is no other way than to face the fear head on and conquer it. Remember this when you come upon your fear, fear isn't always the enemy. It can be a friend, a barometer, or even a wake-up call. Answer the call from the unexpected friend, and...

Be inspired! Inspire others!