Quick Tip – Remove Fear from the Equation

🚀 If you did, what would you do? – Issue #127

Yesterday, I was thinking about how much we let fear hold us back.

When I talk with some of my clients and members of my career community, I find out that they aren’t pursuing a particular career path because they are afraid of failing. They know that they have a safety net with their current job, so they stick with it.

So, I asked this question on Instagram:
What would you do if you knew you would not fail?

I received a variety of interesting answers:

• Join the roller derby

• Take up flying

• Write and illustrate children’s books

• Make art

• Build a community of female bodybuilders

• Pro surfing or golf

• Start a media company and make short films

• Run for president

I know that it may seem silly to ask this question. Of course, every choice in life comes with risks. A decision could lead to failure.

So, there is certainly the risk of failure. The risk of looking silly. Fear of financial ruin. Worries about how others might think of you.

However, ignoring those fears and constraints does unleash your creativity. Humor me.

I don’t care if you don’t know how to do something yet. I want you to set aside your worry and fear.

Just tell me — or tell yourself — what is it that you would pursue in life if a magic wand made it possible by removing any chance of failure?

Write that thing down.

Then, list all of the reasons why you can’t do it. You must be thinking that you can’t do it, or you would already be doing it.

Now, under each of those reasons and excuses for not pursuing your dream, write down 3-5 things that would eliminate that excuse.

Here’s what’s going to happen with some of you. You’re going to come up with more excuses. For example:

• The dream: I want to write and illustrate a book.

• Excuse: I don’t know how to illustrate.

• The fix: I can take a class and learn how to illustrate books.

• Another excuse: But, I don’t have the money to take a class.

• More fixes: I could get a loan to pay for classes. Or, I could take dozens of online courses in illustration that I found for free when I started researching it. Or, I could ask my friend, who is a great illustrator, to teach me.

A big dream — or even a small one — sometimes seems unattainable. It is this massive block made up of mystery, risks, anxiety, and fears.

A beautiful sculpture was once a large chunk of marble that the artist was afraid to ruin with that first strike of the chisel.

However, you can chip away at that block. Start asking yourself, “Why am I not pursuing this dream?” Then, attack each worry and excuse one at a time. Come up with creative ideas to minimize and destroy each fear. Develop a plan.

Don’t let fear stop you from even starting.