5 Steps to Overcoming Your Fears
1. Visualize overcoming it
“Most battles are won in the mind" is more than just a saying; it’s a fact of life. For anything to manifest in the physical world in which we live, it must first be birthed in the mind. When we feel fear over a particular action, the first step to turning it around is the belief that it's possible to do.
We should be crystal clear on the outcome we desire, then play the scenario repeatedly in our minds until it feels like our reality. By doing this, we gain insight into what must be done to overcome the things that scare us, strengthening our confidence and desire to go out there and get it done.
Visualizing the same thing for years on-end has been done by countless athletes and peak performers to help them gradually defeat fears and get closer to their goals. It could be of the same benefit for you as well.
2. Focus on the now
When we fear an action or event, we tend to blow it out of proportion, overthinking how it's going to play out and all the things that could go wrong. Now, of course it’s important to keep potential dangers and pitfalls in mind so you’re prepared. But there's a very thin line between searching for solutions and jamming your mind up in a series of unprogressive thoughts. So don’t get ahead of yourself.
With every potential issue, we should be able to acknowledge its presence, view it from a broad perspective, and zone in on what we can do now to bring us closer to the results we desire. The future is nothing but a series of continuous "nows". Focus on what's present, give it your all, plan towards the present that's yet to come.
3. Find a role model
The journeys that we set to embark on, most often than not, have been taken on before and conquered by certain individuals. Most of the time, our vision of how everything is supposed to unfold may be deceiving or unrealistic.
"Life" is great at playing games with us. Countless curveballs and unexpected turns will be thrown our way on our journey to achieving anything worthwhile. But since the road has been successfully traveled by individuals in the past, you can do it too. Finding a role model who has already done so, and learning what they did when faced with the obstacles that scare us most, can provide valuable insights that otherwise would have required a much longer process of trial-and-error.
It's important that the role models we choose have taken similar routes to those we desire. This way, any time we face fears, we ask ourselves what they would do in this situation and apply this knowledge.
4. Study
Lack of information on a subject leaves us insecure about it. This is only natural, since it leaves us unable to handle unforeseen circumstances. Uncertainty and fear go hand-in-hand.
When faced with tough situations, we should do well to acquire as much relevant information as possible. The more we know about a subject, the more secure we’ll feel about it. Go out there, ask questions, learn, and discover.
5. Face it!
Fear, in itself, is a hypocrite. It thrives off of our uncertainty. "Fear" is going to bark, taunt, and jeer at you, but once you turn around and stare it in the eye, whoosh! It coils back little by little until it can no longer be heard. Fear is normally accompanied by a feeling of being stuck.
If we can simply look past that present moment and take a step–no matter how painful it is initially–times out of ten, we will find that what we were scared of isn't half as scary as it seemed. With the right mindset, fear could just become the fuel we need to propel ourselves in the right direction.
Next time you feel the resistance to take action due to fear: simply take a step back, feel all the emotions, and run straight at it.