Ever allowed fear to get the better of you? Imagine what you could achieve in your career and personal life if you weren't afraid of the challenges ahead? Read on to learn Phoenix Founder and Managing Partner Ed Rossiter's experience and advice to avoid self doubt.
Like everyone else, at times I’ve struggled with the fear of failure. Having played sports all my life, this fear has always been a very active emotion or driver in performance, on or off the pitch. From experience and from seeing high-level athletes in action, it really comes down to one's ability to harness this energy and use it drive your confidence levels upwards.
Finding the balance between the two can in many ways be the difference between achieving your goals or not - be too fearful and you’ll never start, be over-confident and you’ll come across as too arrogant.
Everyone rides this seesaw between fear and confidence, but surprisingly many find it difficult to find the right balance.
Here are some useful tips you can use to build and harness the fearful energy into something powerful:
Embrace it! Knowing that fear is a natural emotion is important. If you fail, so what? Just learn from it and move on. Take inventory of what you did well and celebrate it, learn from it and go again. Be sure the next time that you nail it!
Knowledge is power. No matter how good you think you are in a certain respect, do your research. Being over confident will leave you exposed pretty quickly when you meet someone that knows their stuff. On the flip side, being prepared is incredibly empowering and cannot be overlooked.
Define and envisage what success looks like. Goal setting is one of the most under-utilised tools we can all do. Set goals that will stretch you - success will always change in definition. What you see as success today may be average tomorrow.
What will happen if you don’t take the shot? Firstly, you’ll always miss. Take a step back and imagine what your life or career might look like if you don’t take a chance by striving to your goal or career change. This can be a strong motivator to push past the fear barrier.
Have fun! Taking on new challenges can be incredibly invigorating and exciting, so try to enjoy the ride. Keep an eye on your vision or goals, but always remember to take time and reflect on where you’ve come from. Sometimes, looking back and seeing the old you is as motivating as the image you have of the new you.
Whether your next challenge is a physical, mental or professional one, we're here if you need more advice and to steer you in the right direction.