Run Towards Fear: A Prescription for Success

Fear, or negative anxiety, is the modern day bubonic plague, infecting millions upon millions of people. It spreads with viral effect, and leaves behind consequences of mediocrity and regret. This "plague" is partly due to societal influences (particularly in a post-9/11 era) and partly due to individual issues (the tendency to avoid confrontation of that which we fear). However, whatever the cause, a vaccine is available, and it takes the form of moving towards that which we are most afraid of. Immediately.

Fear as an acronym stands for "False Evidence Appearing Real". This false evidence can take many forms, but the key is that it appears real. We perceive something to be scarier than it really is. One good example can be found in sports, when we fear losing (or failing). Think about it: Is there really anything to be scared of? If you do in fact lose, what then will happen? Sure, it might be painful, but hasn't everyone lost at one point or another in competition? Of course! So why fear losing if it happens to everyone? Not only is fear of losing or failure a waste of time-it also puts you in a reactive, more passive mode of competing. Reactive, passive competitors are more likely to perform poorly in a competitive environment. So don't waste your time fearing losing. Instead, spend your time:

1. Identifying your biggest fears (in sport, in competition, in life). These are the fears that hold you back the most. Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of injury, fear of risk taking.

What are the consequences of harboring some of these fears?

-Fear of failure: you will never fully give all of yourself to competition if you are afraid of losing

-Fear of success: you're less likely to win, obviously, if you have mixed emotions about being able to deal with success (and the responsibilities that come with it)

-Fear of injury: you're more likely to be injured, as you will be more tentative

-Fear of risk-taking: you'll never risk, and therefore, never gain.

2. Setting about a plan to attack these "falsehoods". Without a plan, there is no prescription for removal of these fears.

Dr. Smith's prescriptions:

-For fear of failure: Go out and fail on a daily basis. Get used to it, because humans do fail, and you are human. Might as well learn to live with it.

-For fear of success: Get straight in your mind that success is a great alternative to mediocrity. Really.

-For fear of injury: Get back on the bull (so to speak) as soon as possible after being injured (but cleared to compete). The longer you wait, the greater your fear will be.

-For fear of risk-taking: take risks, but on a large and frequent scale, and in every area of your life. Ask people out on dates. Ask for favors. Tell someone who is bugging you how you really feel. Ask a sport psychologist for assistance. (Just kidding, but not really!)

3. Moving towards instead of away from these fears. You will discover that the closer you move towards that which you fear, the less scary those fears are. Sort of like the first time you stood up to the school bully and realized that he or she was not so tough when confronted. You were perceiving based on "false evidence".

Moving towards fear in your daily life means doing that which you hate/detest/fear/loathe/don't want to do, and doing that thing first, before all else. For me, that means going jogging at 7 am on these dark, winter mornings. For you it might mean something else. However, the key to beating back our irrational and disabling fears is to run, not walk, towards them at every chance. By doing so, you will prove to yourself how silly those fears are in the first place, as they provide no inherent value in your life. They merely hold you back from reaching your true potential.

Copyright (2003) Leif H. Smith, Psy.D. All rights reserved.

Performance expert Leif H. Smith, Psy.D, is the president of Personal Best Consulting, a consulting firm located in Hilliard, Ohio. To learn more tips and techniques to immediately improve performance in your life and to sign up for his FREE monthly advice newsletter, visit http://www.personalbestconsulting.com

---

Decisions Can Change Your Life

To realize that you determine the outcome of your own... Read More

What Constitutes a Good Life?

The ultimate expression of life is not a paycheck. The... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Get Your Act Together

Get your act together Make sure that you have all... Read More

Personal Excellence: Whats Your Motivation? (Part 2 of 3)

The scene from "Biloxi Blues" where Matthew Broderick's character kept... Read More

10 Universal Principles of Success

Success is not something that only a chosen few can... Read More

What is Success?

A company entitled "Made for Success" begs the question: Just... Read More

The Power Of Partnerships

Everything we have in life is because of the help... Read More

Falling Up the Stairs

There have been a lot of really good movies made... Read More

Do You Fear Your Own Success?

Noted author and self-worth teacher Eric Butterworth* says, "Poverty is... Read More

Informational Interviews: Tips for Success

As a work-life and career coach, I regularly work with... Read More

Finding Your Purpose

What is success? As author and speaker Earl Nightingale said,... Read More

From Making a Living to Creating a Lifestyle

(excerpted from the Day That Turns Your Life Around)After having... Read More

Success: How To Succeed Most of the Time

We set goals, strive for them and only consider ourselves... Read More

Creating Success - A Balance of Thinking and Doing

Why is it that most people still equate being successful... Read More

The Courage To Act

The world is full of people with great intentions. They... Read More

How to Find Out What You Want from Life

No matter how young or old you are, you must... Read More

Trusting The Higher Self

As very few people achieve enlightenment in one lifetime, as... Read More

How to Lose Your Money, Fake Your Destiny with Great Success

Everyone talks about how to be successful through hard work... Read More

The Subtlety of Language

I have found that sometimes the subtle difference in our... Read More

Are You the Reason for Your Lack of Success?

Have you ever noticed when playing a video game, or... Read More

Your Own Worth Should be Worth Success

Read these four simple steps that reveal how... Read More

Daily Action Spells Success - What Have You Done Today To Make Yourself Feel Proud?

Since December 1st 2004, I have written one article or... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Create A Nurturing Environment

Create an environment that is so inspiring and nurturing that... Read More

Success After Failure - Even Genghis Khan Lost Some Early Battles

Both the worst and the best of the great achievers... Read More

Great Success Story

Ok, let me tell you what I mean.As some of... Read More

Success Without Excuses

If we hope to achieve any worthwhile goal it will... Read More

Success Doesnt Always Come Easy

On a raw, cold day in the European Alps, Lance... Read More

Lessons from My Garden

What does "Lessons from My Garden" have to do with... Read More

Inoculate Yourself Against Negativity

Unfortunately we come into contact with negativity everyday. We can't... Read More

Think of Wealth and Become Wealthy

Our thought are magnetic ! Like a magnet we attract... Read More

Tracking Success With A Goal Tracking Chart

Creating a goal tracking chart is as simple as drawing... Read More

Perseverance is the Ability ...

"Perseverance allows you to get back on track when you... Read More

The Bubble Of Prosperity

My life is a bubble; but how much solid cash... Read More