Overcoming Fear and Creating Ourselves
An accomplished writer found himself mired in self-doubt, losing faith in his abilities as an author. Seeking support, he reached out to me. His lack of confidence hindered his writing progress, and I advised him to prioritize action over lingering. Self-reliance and courage are not prerequisites for action; they are rewards that come from taking action.
Victims often believe they need to trust themselves, have confidence or courage upfront to take action. In reality action comes first, and confidence or courage often follow. This mindset can lead to a life wasted waiting for audacity to strike. Action is the true source of courage and confronting our fears by taking action is the key to fight them.
The ability to do something usually shows up while you're in the midst of doing it. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Do the thing, and you shall have the power."
In my experience working with salespeople, I've found that making a sale is the ultimate motivator, filling them with confidence and energy. To increase motivation and make more sales, one simply needs to start selling. Similarly, to become motivated to exercise, one needs to begin exercising. Action defeats fear and we must initiate the cycle ourselves.
Fear can be overcome by doing the things we're afraid of. Actions don't need to be perfect; they will naturally gain momentum as we push forward. As children we instinctively knew this, but as adults we've falsely assumed that fear is synonymous with inability. The truth is that action generates courage, not the other way around.
To practice facing fear, write down 20 things you would do if you were fearless, then choose one and take action without overthinking. Courageous people feel fear but act anyway. As you take action fear dissolves, leaving a sense of joy and accomplishment as you become someone new.
Among the top 20 actions that terrified me was the prospect of leaping from a 100-meter-high bridge. Heights have always petrified me. Despite my overwhelming fear I refused to let it hinder my progress and took the plunge. In an instant my fear transformed into unbridled joy and a sense of achievement. I emerged a new person, having conquered yet another fear and evolved in the process. My strategy was simple: take action swiftly at the peak of the daunting height, preventing overthinking from gaining control of my thoughts. And so, I jumped!
After some time, my client, the writer, reached out to me with an update. He had established a routine of writing at least ten pages daily, and he noticed that his confidence, self-belief, and trust in his talent and capabilities grew stronger with each passing day. As a result he is now ahead of schedule for submitting his manuscript to the editor. This experience has transformed him into a new person, one who overcomes fears and doubts simply by taking action and pushing forward.
Creation occurs when we do things we wouldn't normally do, realizing that there is no fixed and permanent "us." By focusing on action we can overcome fear, develop confidence, and continually create ourselves for the better.
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