There’s a four-letter word that I’ve been seeing a lot of people talk about on social media recently and also on blogs, in the news, etc. That little four-letter word isn’t the eff-bomb, but it’s close. It’s FEAR.

One of my favorite quotes growing up was “Feel the fear and do it anyway…” As someone who is naturally on the anxious side, I would repeat this quote to myself often. It’s a reminder to myself that we have one life to live and I’m not going to let fear get in the way. I’m not going to let fear prevent me from trying new things, taking a risk, or setting myself up for success. Feel the fear and do it anyway, right?

So, let’s get real for a second. Grab out a pen and pencil, or open your laptop and answer these questions:

• What are you afraid of?
• What do you fear most in life?
• Do you know what you’re afraid of?
• Do you consider how it impacts your daily actions and behaviors?
• If you would free yourself from that fear, how would your life differ?
• How would it improve?

Look back on your answers. Tony Robbins says that life is the dance between what you desire most and what you fear most… What do you fear? Seriously… what do you fear? Be honest with yourself. Be vulnerable. Do you need to change your answer?

Most of our fear comes from wanting to live a meaningful life and wanting to achieve big things for ourselves – to live the good life, to create happiness.

Get clear with yourself about what are you are truly afraid of.

Is it small things? Like a fear of height or a fear of flying or a fear of public speaking? Maybe a fear of snakes, or like me, a terrible phobia of birds. Maybe these things don’t plague your daily life, or maybe they do. Are you afraid of failure? This is a big one for a lot of people. Are you afraid of being unlovable, afraid of commitment or not being enough? That last one is a big one for me. I lose a lot of sleep and energy from asking myself if I’m enough… if I’m being the best I can be. And you know what? –We can all be better. We all know that, so why do we let fear get in the way, hold us back, or give us pause? How do we overcome fear daily and that little voice inside your head that makes you pause or gives you stress. Are you afraid of dying? Are you afraid of traveling alone? Are you afraid of illness? What are you afraid of?

Facing your fear is what can bridge the gap between you and your biggest opportunities. After all, if you aren’t running into the things that scare you, then you aren’t really living… and guess what? What’s on the other side of fear? What’s lingering on the other side once you push past your limiting beliefs or your fear? It’s a new you. It’s your future. Everything you deserve is on the other side of fear.

We all shy away from things that make us nervous or fearful, right? We avoid things that might seem unpleasant. Things that bring us stress. Things that leave us uncomfortable. I remind myself of this constantly and try to be purposeful about remembering the outcome of fears or anxieties I have. Take, for instance, the number of times you procrastinate on things that you fear, bring you discomfort, seem unpleasant, or cause you stress. When you actually complete the task or activity, you probably say, man oh man, why I was putting that off and dreading it? It really wasn’t that bad. I do this all the time and keep reminding myself of that outcome. We have no ceiling or limit on growth, and that’s the beautiful part of life. Every time you push past a fear, a discomfort, a stressor, you are growing – you are evolving. You are striving to live that better life for yourself.

Recognizing and Understanding Fear to Overcome Fear

So, how do we turn fear into a positive thing? How do we use fear to fuel us and our activities?

First, you have to understand your fears. You have to get vulnerable. You have to get real with yourself. I fear a lot of things! On months when I know I’ve overspent, quite frankly, I’m fearful of looking at my bank statement. It might seem silly, but money brings a lot of fear to a lot of people. I’m fearful of not doing enough or being enough to people in my life. I’m fearful of being alone in life. I really am fearful of birds – it’s a thing – look it up.

I think of myself as a more fearful person than I think most people are, but I use it to my advantage. I use anxieties to fire me up and push me harder and propel me forward. What’s your fear? Again, seriously, think about it, and be honest with yourself. Addressing it in the first step in using fear to fuel you! There are healthy fears and irrational fears. My bird fear is probably irrational. The management of your fears is what puts you into a successful category, so start thinking about what your fears are and how you conquer it. How do you realize that it isn’t really so bad?

There’s this interesting phenomenon called the imposter phenomenon that also ties into fear. We feel like we don’t deserve financial stability or success. No matter how successful we become, these fears will plague us until we shift the focus and make it more about our dreams… remove that self-doubt and focus on your goals. Keep your eye on the prize, if you will. Remember your goals and use that fear to fuel your dreams. Tied to this is also staying positive. Having an attitude of positivity about yourself and the world around you is going to keep you focused on the good in life and help you think less about the fears, your weaknesses, and your discomforts.

Overcoming Your Fears (Whatever They Are)

Tied to this also is focusing on gratitude. We talk a lot about gratitude around Thanksgiving and then it largely falls off, or so I think anyway. When you come from a place of gratitude and positivity, what happens to your fears? They seem less daunting, less important, don’t they? We always have something to be grateful for… we’re living and breathing right now. That’s something to practice gratitude for daily. When you bring yourself to focus on gratitude, positivity and things that bring you happiness, fear dissipates or it’s overshadowed. Don’t give into it and let it curb your energy or your goals for the future. Understand your fears and where they come from and you’ll be on track to a life without limits and achieving more than you ever dreamed you’d be capable of.

I’ll leave you with two quotes about fear to go off and smash through any limiting beliefs and fears you have… Today is your day and it’s all about your success!

“Each of us must confront our fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it…” – Judy Blume

“Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps a different action of adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.” – Norman Vincent Peale

Take action.

What are you going to do today to make a difference, to push beyond a fear? As Adam always says, fight forward. Dig deeper into your fears with daily journaling and fight your fears with gratitude! You’ve got this.