Taking that Step out of Fear is Worthwhile: Here's How to do it

                                            Photo by Jeffery Erhunse on Unsplash

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood more. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. Marie Curie

Ever been scared of the dark? Or looked out the dark yard only to see a gigantic creature staring down at you. You summon the courage and walk into the yard with a torchlight only to discover that it was only a cock perched on your fence.

Looking back at the years, I laugh at the fact that I practically wet my pants when I had the same experience. The shadows cast by a cock looked like a monster that was set to attack me. How I hated the dark and would cry until my parents brought in light. 

Does the dark still scare me? Not anymore. Once I realized that the huge monsters and creatures I thought were out to get me were never real, they were shadows of cute little stray animals. 

Better still, I realized that light was all it took to see things clearly, and then it dawned on me that I had nothing to fear. Fear limits a person in far more ways than we care to admit. When we live in fear, we become blinded to the limitless opportunities that lie in front of us.

Sadly many have given up on life, quit business, relocated to another region all because of the fear of failing, rejection, or being laughed at. Others have refused to take another try at business, marriage, and relationship. Some are stagnated simply because moving out of their comfort zone to try out new opportunities scares them. 

A wise man once said, there are no mountains anywhere, every man's mountain is a product of his imagination.

Just as light enables us to see around us and far ahead, a good understanding of what you fear and how you can conquer your fear will give a headstart to getting the best of what life has to offer.

let's answer three major questions that could help us address our fear 

1. What do you fear?

Being able to pinpoint what you fear is the start of the journey towards overcoming it. Preferably, make a list of all the things you fear in the order of their magnitude.

2. What is the root cause of the phobia?

dig deep within yourself and locate possible the probable cause of the phobias you have listed. could they have been formed from prior personal negative experiences or that of friends or close family members or were they formed as a result of stories that you had heard. 

3. Are the Objects of your fear real or Imaginary?

If you have answered the "root cause" question, then you are better placed to move on to sorting out what is real and imaginary.

Real fears come from personal experiences like kidnap, rape, or death of a loved one under certain circumstances or a family history of sickness. These and many other similar scenarios may prove to inculcate fear in a person who may have witnessed it. 

Having a loved pass on due to an illness that is hereditary immediately puts the fear of a likelihood of having such an illness in family members especially the children of the deceased.

Imaginary fears: these are preconceived notions that deter you from taking the necessary steps in life. Not taking advantage of technology, whether in business or for socializing out of fear of what could happen, or that you may suck at it.

Whether you act on your fears or not, everyone is ultimately responsible for the outcome of his life.

How then do you overcome your fear and get ahead in 

Do your Research

Just as light enables you to see in the dark, proper research on the subject matter of your fear will give you a true picture of what out there. 

Are there people who have made it through against all odds including your odd? If yes, how did they do it?

Your fear would be gone if you envisaged a clearer picture with people who have gotten better from illness, succeeded in business, picked up after a failed marriage, or just excelled even after going through traumatic experiences. 

Borrowing the words of Rosa Parks, I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, it diminishes fear, knowing what must be done away with fear.

Keep the Possibility Mindset. 

You may never be able to get the best out of life if you carry an impossibility mindset. New results are never obtained by following the same old procedures. If others have made it in life using new methods, technology in life and business, picked up, and started a family after a painful divorce or whatever the challenge that was overcome, then you can too.

Take the step.

You may never truly know if you will succeed until you actually take a step in faith. Faith in God and in your ability to succeed against all odds. You will be surprised to find out that the big scary monster you thought you feared is actually cock roosting on the fence. Try new opportunities, seize the moment, apply for that job, test out that new business strategy, and reap success.

Evaluate your Progress.

Periodically evaluate how you have fared in your journey to success. Enjoy every success you've achieved and been open-minded enough to make adjustments where necessary. This periodic evaluation will show that if you have taken the right steps, you would no longer be where you used to be. You must have made progress and are better off.

Disclaimer

This post is not intended to replace expert advice, so seek necessary expert advice when needed.