When "What if..." Strikes

What would you do if you weren’t afraid?

Listening to speaker and author Bob Goff speak about fear got me to thinking. “Fear is a punk,” he said. And I knew he was right: fear isa punk. It paralyzes us and tricks us into believing lies that keep us stuck.

I believe fear—and the anxiety it brings—is the enemy’s most powerful weapon. It keeps us from living out our true potential or sharing our gifts with the world.

Often times, we don’t realize fear is stopping us from living fully. We look at the circumstances around us and blame the situation or other people instead of getting to the root cause.

We need to remember, fear is temporary. There is a German proverb that says, “Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.” In other words, fear exaggerates reality.

Instead of buying the lies and listening as your inner voice construct worst-case scenarios, remember these two truths:

Truth #1: Most of the things we fear never really happen.

Stop analyzing what could go wrongand consider what could go right. We get more of what we focus on, so focus on the possibilities.

Truth #2: We can overcome failure.

It is okay to fail. Failure is actually a good thing as it allows us learn from our mistakes and fly higher next time. What causes your inner critic to come out? Instead of believing the critic, can you learn to leverage past failures for future success?

So, what’s next once we’ve made friends with fear? Try this instead:

1. Do the hard thing that terrifies you.

Risk. Step out. Show up. We are powerful, not because we don’t have fear but because we go on in spite of it. Use fear as a way to embrace excitement and anticipation. Be mindful of your energy and use it to lean into your mission.

2. Fake confidence.

Confidence is a skill. I know you have heard the saying, “Fake it ‘till you make it.” I am not advocating that you be fake, but I am encouraging you to fake confidence. When you fake confidence, people respond to you as if you are confident, which, in turn, makes you confident. If you act bravely, you will feel brave. Try it. You will be amazed!

3. Give grace.

To yourself and to others. Give it away like it is water. Have the courage to be broken. Stop trying to pretend you have it all together. You don’t. I don’t. None of us do. The minute you stop trying to be perfect, you will be free to shine.

So, learn from your mistakes and embrace your brokenness. You will fail. And you will be okay. In fact, you will be stronger because of it.