Fear. It’s a tough topic, but an important one, because it has a way of sneaking in and impacting our decisions if we don’t pay attention to it. As someone who recently left a 25+ year corporate career to become an entrepreneur, I often think about fear and its impacts on mindset, quality of life, and performance at work, at home, and in life.
Here’s 3 key questions about fear that everyone should think about:
What’s your natural inclination?
Some people are less risk averse and dive right into things that would send many people running. Others, like me, tread more carefully, getting the lay of the land and trying to understand the various options before making a decision. Neither is good or bad, but understanding your natural inclination helps ensure you are choosing the best approach for you in a given situation, and not just going with your default.
What are those things you don’t have control over but cause big, deep fears?
For example, something bad happening to loved ones, political challenges, climate change, fear of major health issues, pandemics, etc. How much do these fears impact your daily life? Are there things you can do to lessen the impact, such as being more selective about what type of news, social media, books, etc. you pay attention to?
What fears have been learned through life as a result of your experiences?
We all have them…things like fear of failure, fear of humiliation, fear of rejection, fear of public speaking. While not life-threatening, they can feel that way and hold you back from having the life you want. This is where mindset work can really help; digging into these learned fears enables you to flesh out what’s really true, instead of what might feel true in a given moment. Then, you can re-shape your mindset, get past those fears, and move towards where you truly want to be.
Before I started working with Coach Susan a few years ago, I felt stuck…trapped by a variety of fears learned throughout life as I tried to navigate without truly understanding who I was. Now, I’m still cautious, but can choose how to respond when tough situations come up…am I going to let myself be stuck, or am I going to use my mindset tools to get past this situation? Admittedly, there are times when I might wallow for a bit, but eventually (with a push from my coach, if needed!), I choose to do the work to get to the freedom of the other side. It’s hard work, but so worth it!
Elite would love to support you in this work. Please reach out to learn more about how we can help!
Jen Patel | High-Performance & Leadership Coach
