Unfreeze Your Fear

Break it down to make it easier!

Fear stops you from progressing. To grow, sometimes we need to set a goal to develop courage and to act bravely toward our goals.

Like most things, bravery doesn’t happen unless you practise. You start with some little activities that feel uncomfortable, and you do them anyway.

I like the acronym for FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real.

Fear can suck you in when there is little to be afraid of!

Some potentially uncomfortable behaviours to practise….

• Smiling at strangers and paying compliments.
• Asking people three relevant questions to create a quality conversation and connection. You could try this with senior people in your organisation.
• Volunteering to speak at a team meeting, although you are not comfortable being upfront.
• Introducing yourself to your waiter regardless of whether it is a café or a fancy restaurant. Show that you are friendly.

The momentum of conquering fear in one small area can spill over into other parts of your life.

What might you be afraid of? It might be possible that you are afraid of setting goals because you are scared you may never achieve them.

My solution to this is to make them smaller and simple.

Is it possible that you are afraid of dreaming big in case you never get there? So, think about what your life will feel like if you never imagine for more or better.

Most things we achieve in life are because we do something repetitively. We practise a skill until we become good at it. If we stop practising, our performance will go down.

To become good at something, we should do a little every day. Whether we are talking about life management, sport, loving relationships or dealing with conflict, it doesn't matter.

Tennis is a great example for me. I love playing tennis, and I play competitively whenever I’m available throughout the year.

However, when I take a six-week break over the summer, it takes time and practice for me to be able to hit accurate and powerful shots.

I can’t just pick up the racquet and expect everything to fall into place. It’s an unrealistic expectation.

So, I go back to what I know will help. Practising against a brick wall is a wonderful way to get more repetitions done. The ball keeps coming back simply because I have no opponent on the other end to mess it up!

Five minutes a day is a powerful practice mechanism. It leads to strong performance.

This tennis challenge is a simple example of the process required.

Where in your life would practise through repetition help you move forward?

Next week I will share some effective habits that I know will help you grow.

Keep your eyes on that Inbox ☺

Love,

Lisa.