Using Fear & Doubt to Your Advantage

Pay attention to fear and doubt, but don’t let them run your life.⁠

Having fear and doubt racing through your mind can be stressful and confusing — but recognize that it’s natural. In fact, it’s a good thing: It means you’re on the brink of expanding beyond your current capacity!⁠

Fear and doubt are safety mechanisms leftover from our primitive monkey brains; that old monkey brain wants you to stay small and safe and not get eaten by a dinosaur. Imagine you’re about to jump off a cliff into the ocean; everything in your body says, “This is a bad idea, you’re in danger!” Logically you know that the water is deep, many people before you have done it safely and chances are you’ll be fine but your brain still screams, “WATCH OUT!” And that’s a good thing. It’s smart to take a look around and see if there’s something dangerous that could harm you. If not, tell your mind, “Thank you for alerting me, but I’ve got this!”⁠

The part where many people get tripped up is diving deep into fear and doubt as if they’re real and letting them run their lives. That’s a deep well that can take you down and out for a few days, weeks or even years. Ever wonder how some people unhappily stay in the same job or relationship for decades? Yep, listening to fear and doubt will keep you small.⁠

Instead, look fear and doubt in the face and say “Bring it on.” When they come up, it’s time to celebrate — throw an “I AM EXPANDING BEYOND MY COMFORT ZONE” party, because dealing with these feelings the only way to achieve your dreams. Buckle your seatbelt, throw your hands in the air and scream bloody murder while you move ahead with action. If you don’t believe me, go ask the most successful person you know if they’ve ever dealt with fear and doubt. I bet you they’ll laugh and say, “Every day!”⁠

Are you facing your fears and doubts?

[Photo credit: Daniel Johnson]