•To succeed, people must find a way to overcome fear. This is important because, in the state of fear, people are not at their best
Image: CHARLES MGHENYI
In business, fear is a factor, especially now. The current global socio-economic realities are complex, and uncertainty is constant. The fear factor plays a role in people’s daily business dealings. To succeed, people must find a way to overcome fear. This is important because, in the state of fear, people are not at their best.
This is not a piece to teach you how to deny the presence of fear – it’s part of life. You will always be presented with the opportunity to fear. But, will you take it? You must decide how you will respond to fear before it shows up. Resolve and learn to defeat fear and here are four strategies to help you.
Find the Source: Fear can paralyse thinking. In a state of fear, many people cannot think straight. They are unable to properly analyse the fear to understand the source. People seldom find out the true reasons for their fears; they don’t dig deep. What if you took the time to examine your fears to know where they’re coming from? When you find the source of your fears, you are poised to plot strategies to disarm them so that you’re able to move forward.
Forget the Familiar: Fear stifles advancement. Fear is designed to immobilise you so that you stay on a spot for long. It destroys your confidence so that you return to or remain in the familiar. Hence, the need to untangle from unhealthy ties with the familiar. Fear will always take you back to what you’ve always known. It’s one reason people fight innovation or the push for new ideas. Your ability to say no to the familiar helps you defeat fear.
Avoid Fear-Based Decisions: Fear is winning when you make decisions based on the fear that you feel. The tendency to make mistakes are high when in fear. So, avoid making major decisions in the state of fear; it’s not an empowering state. Fear is blinding – this means that you can make a bad call. Let fear subside, attain clear thought and from that place, make your decisions.
Take Fearless Actions: Fear dictates actions, people make the moves and generally get into more trouble. So, how do you avoid this? When fear dictates a move, do the opposite. Don’t do the dictates of fear. If fear says run, standstill. At that moment, you have displayed courage and it begins to change the atmosphere and ultimately, affects the outcome. Defeat fear by taking courageous actions.
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