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Finally, reflect on this question: Who would I be without these messages?
Take your fear to
end
Recently, I discussed fear with a budding entrepreneur. I asked him what his biggest fear was and he said “fear of failure”. What is failure?, I wondered. He explained “losing all my families money, savings, home, and being bankrupt.” “And, what if you failed? What would you do?” I asked. He thought for a moment and said “I’d start over…plus, I would never let it get that far. I would get out way before losing my house and all my savings.” Ok, then “what do you have to do to safeguard you and your family against losing everything?” And, after a few minutes of listing what had to be done, his fear was settled. It had been heard, responded to, and taken to it’s natural conclusion. No more mystery. His coin could now flip to courage because he knew, once and for all, that he would be OK if his business did fail. Failure, for him, wasn’t about whether this particular business stayed afloat or made a ton of money…he could always try something else. Instead, it was keeping his family afloat that mattered most. And that requires something different from him…something he knows how to ensure.
It’s really that simple to be on friendly terms with your fears. Take your fears out of dark and examine them in light. Ask them what they want you to know, and/or do. Carry them to their natural conclusion—keep asking “what if that happens” and quickly you will have answer. You will know what to do. You will have responded to fear rather than reacted to it. You will have a new friend in fear. Now, go flip that coin and start acting out of courage with your friend fear right behind you!
**************************************** Parting pearls of wisdom:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It’s our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others”. --Nelson Mandela in his Inaugural Speech.
*************************************** This article may be reproduced in its entirety with following attribution:
(c) 2004 Shawn Driscoll, Succeed Coaching and Development. Success coaching for career, life, business. For more information on Coaching and Development programs visit www.succeedcoaching.com or email Shawn@succeedcoaching.com
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Shawn Driscoll, owner of Succeed Coaching & Development, is a Career and Business Coach, trainer and speaker. For over 14 years Shawn has advised, coached and developed Executives, Managers, Supervisors and their teams to achieve greater results. Her mission is to inspire and motivate peooplle to achieve success on their own terms, and in a way that fully expresses their values, passions and priorities.
