“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown
What opportunities have you let pass you by because you were too afraid to go after them? What reasons have you sold to yourself on why you decided not to start? Fear can be a good thing. It can be an important internal guidance system that helps you avoid physical and emotional danger. If it wasn’t present, we couldn’t protect ourselves from real threats.
From an early age, we learned several things from our parents through Fear. “Don’t touch the stove or you will burn yourself”. “Chew properly so you don’t choke”. It quickly became a part of our decision-making process. The problem is that it became so present that it not only protected us from real threats but from potential GREAT opportunities. Your mind cannot tell you the difference between real fear and an imagined one.
In high school, I was extremely afraid of public speaking. I still remember those class presentations, standing in front of the room, my heart beating wildly and my tongue feeling like chalk. Every single one of my presentations was done with my eyes fixed intently on the lights in the ceiling. I never looked down once.
Eventually, my career led to several speaking engagements. I finally learned to lean into my fear and act despite it. My desire to be an inspiring leader overcame my fear of speaking in front of a group.
Think about what you want to do, but fear doing. What dreams are you holding back because of fear of failure, or fear of success? Now, lean into that fear and ACT despite it.
Let the power of your dreams and desires be the light that shows you no monsters are hiding under your bed. It was all in your imagination after all.
This post is the first of a new series that I am doing. Our lives can get pretty hectic and it can be easy to get lost in our actions. When we are so focused on what is ahead, we forget to pause, reflect and find ways to energize our minds. These 5-minute motivation posts are meant to give you that recharge. The goal is to give you a 5-minute Vitamin for your mind through quotes, posts and videos.