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Fear gets in the way of the world receiving what we have
to offer. If we can find a way to move past fear,
we are actually giving a gift, not only to ourselves,
but to others around us. Risk-taking and its
attendant anxiety are sensations we can master! We
all tend to like to operate in our “comfort zone”, yet
there can be exhilaration and pride in going beyond our
familiar limits, and gaining that pleasure is part of
adult maturity. As a personal growth coach, it's
my job to help people manage and work through fear so
that they can live and perform.
Most often fear of risk is related to the unknown, to
contemplating change. We turn over many
possibilities in our minds as we imagine ourselves in
future action. For example, most people dread
public speaking, and giving a big presentation at work
can cause a lot of upset.
Humans seem to have a built-in tendency to anticipate
bad things happening, presumably so we can survive by
perceiving potential danger. The mortality rate
among people giving speeches is actually remarkably low
though, so this fear does not have a rational basis!
However, the fear of being judged and rejected by others
is more immediate. Planning practical action to
take is likely to involve some of the following shifts
in thinking:
Regard the new action or decision as an experiment.
Don’t be distracted by the judgments of others. In
the words of Thomas Edison, inventor extraordinaire:
“Hell, there are no rule s
here. We’re trying to accomplish something!”
Do not always listen to what you might only imagine is
your inner voice. It has a lot of bad habits.
Remind yourself that learning about risk-taking and
courage can be a lonely experience. After all, if
everyone exercised courage it would not be such a
widely-admired quality. A positive support person
like a coach can help you work with your reactions
effectively, and equip yourself to approach the risk in
a situation with intelligence and self-awareness.
Personal Growth Coaching Articles by
Kate McNulty
Relationship Advice Coaching -- Boundaries and Dating
Relationship Counseling -- Using Conflict to Build
Closer Relationships
Personal Coach for a Woman -- Appreciation of the Body in
Everyday Life
Notes
from a Portland Oregon Career Coach
Leadership Executive Coaching
Business
Entrepreneur Coaching
Presentation
Coaching
Life Skills Coach on
Goal-Setting
Life Change Coaching
- Goal-Setting Part II
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