A famous quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt states: “Courage is not the absence of fear. Rather, great courage is about knowing something else is far more important than being fearful.”
Why do we allow our fears to keep us stuck and shut us down? Why do our fears dissolve our confidence and zap our energy? How can we let a great deal of our anxiety extinguish our enthusiasm and steal our dreams?
We all face fear in different ways, and often we aren’t aware of how fear influences our decisions. This lack of awareness causes us to choose to stay stuck in our fears. Consider how fear is the foundation of courage! And the moment you start living fearless, is the moment you begin to develop the confidence to choose courage every time.
There are at least five universal fears:
- Failure
- Rejection
- Success
- Judgment
- Change
Fear of failure is very powerful. Thoughts and worries create a negative inner dialogue, but you can develop the mindset of a champion and develop your courage.
Consider one area of your life where you feel dissatisfied. Maybe you feel stuck or paralyzed. Maybe you are unable or unwilling to make a move. Or maybe you aren’t even sure what you want, or you’re afraid that if you make a decision, it will be the wrong one.
This happens when fear of failure has you in its clutches and won’t let go. It will steal your dreams and cause you to settle. It can create regret and disappointment.
But if you really think about it, I bet you know at least one or two steps you can take to move in the direction of your dream, right? If you can build up the courage to take those steps, they will naturally lead to the next step, and the next step – until you’ve turned your vision into reality.
Don’t build yourself a wall of fear and limiting beliefs that is so high and impenetrable, it leaves you perpetually stuck in one place.
Who builds that wall of fear and limiting beliefs? We build it ourselves! Brick by brick we build up that wall – but the good news is, since you built it, you can also tear it down!
Make it a goal today to claim or reclaim a vision for your life. Develop the true courage to take one step toward your dreams. Have confidence in yourself, take action, and you’ll soon turn those dreams into reality.