Taking the Leap and Working Past Your Fear to Succeed

When the world around you seems uncertain, as it does these days, it can feel scary to take chances. I understand that hesitation, however I believe that now the time is better than ever to take a risk because you have less to lose and everything left to gain. Put yourself out there and see what opportunities come your way.

There are all sorts of things that scare us. You may be scared to switch careers. You may be scared to start your own business. You may be scared to apply for that promotion or ask for that recommendation. I validate those feelings, but if you allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the fear then you will definitely miss out on the opportunity that is now before you. I’m here to tell you that you won’t make it far in life if you don’t occasionally do things that scare you. In fact, if you’re feeling a little anxious, that means you’re doing something right. Here’s the key: You have to analyze the fear and look at it rationally.

What’s the worst that can happen? If you apply for that promotion and you don’t get it, you’ll be back in the same position you were in before, but at least you will have learned something from the experience. You can take that knowledge with you to help prepare your chances to succeed in the future. On the other hand, you might actually get the promotion that you apply for. The only way to find out is to go for it.

If you feel nervous to ask somebody to sit down for an informational session with you or to become your mentor, push past the negative voice in your head. Most people are happy to help you, but you need to have the initiative to ask for what you want.

One young person I coached was even afraid to ask her former supervisor for a professional recommendation on LinkedIn. This young lady was an excellent employee and could be assured of receiving a great recommendation, yet she still hesitated at the thought of inconveniencing her former employer. This was self-sabotage taken to an extreme degree! I convinced this young woman to reach out to that employer, as well as several other former colleagues and supervisors. A few people did decline her request, but most were happy to help and she ended up with several other excellent recommendations she could display to prospective clients and employers.

Do not make the same mistake this young woman almost did. Do not let fear of someone else’s inconvenience hamper your success! As much as we might wish that others could read our minds and everything we want would merely fall into our laps, that’s not reality. Take a few risks. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results.

If you need help developing a plan to work through your professional anxieties, consider reaching out to me for my one-on-one coaching services here.