Les Brown once said, “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” Your fears can end up being the biggest barriers that prevent you from reaching your full potential. They can stop you from going after whatever you truly desire because you feel that your chances of succeeding are small. Fears are deceitful, and sometimes subconscious, so most of the time you do not even realize that they are holding you back, though they usually reveal themselves when you are preparing to do face a challenge.
However, you should not allow your fears consume you or stop you from reaching your goals. The famous words of Jack Canfield, “Everything you want is on the other side of fear,” ring true in these situations. Once you let go of your fear, there is nothing that can stop you. Here are some of the most common fears that you must overcome in order to achieve success.
Being Judged
One of the most common fears people experience is what others will think of them. We struggle so much with how others view us that it stops us from stepping out of our comfort zone. However, rather than seeking the approval of others, it is important you shift your focus to seek approval from yourself. At the end of the day, you will not be able to please everyone and, even if you are doing absolutely nothing, there will be people who will find fault with you. Anything worth doing will come with judgment and criticism, so you should never allow that fear to stop you. Focus on being a better version of you every day and brush off the criticisms of those trying to bring you down.
Failure
Once people realize that they may fail, they often do not even try. People are so afraid to move forward and better their current situation because they do not want to fail and lose what they have already built. They constantly ask “what if” questions to themselves such as, “What if I try and fail?” Or, “What if I lose everything?”
The truth is, you are bound to fail at some point, but that should not stop you from trying. After all, failure is sometimes the very thing that will propel you to success. It is simply a matter of you learning from your mistakes and making the necessary changes. Embrace the fact that failure is the stepping stone to success, and do not be afraid of it.
The Unknown
Many times, we are not even aware of what it is we fear, or we are afraid of things unfamiliar to us. Scientific studies have shown that the human mind is designed to remain in its comfort zone, without being allowed to venture out of it. Due to this, we tend to experience an abundance of mental resistance when we are heading down an unknown path.
Robert Frost talks about taking the road less traveled, and this is so important. Most of the time, the road we were so afraid to go down is the very road to our success. Do not let your impulsive desire to stay in your comfort zone limit you in the things you can accomplish. You have to find it in yourself to step out of your comfort zone and put yourself in tense situations in order to grow.