Stepping out on a limb is scary. Leaps of faith can be terrifying. Failure would mean embarrassment, disgrace, or possibly even death. Still…everything that you truly want is on the other side of that monumental risk. You feel fear, you feel hesitation, but when it comes down to it, you know you have to take a chance.
The next time you’re up against your edge, try one of these tactics…
Remember the Real Endgame
When Steve Jobs was dying of cancer he said, “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.” When you put your current choices in perspective against the inevitable, everything that doesn’t really matter has a funny way of falling away.
Ask, “What’s the Worst That Can Happen?”
Playing the game of worst-case-scenario often makes you realize that whatever you are afraid of isn’t likely to actually happen. And if it does, you have already visualized and explored it in your mind, so you will probably handle it better than you imagine. Chances are, you are going to be just fine, and likely better off, for having taken the chance.
Tell Yourself, “So What.”
So you messed up your presentation. You lost a relationship. You made a mistake. So what? Truth is, most people will not remember your mistakes, and if they do, they will forgive you. You are an adventurer, racking up life experiences and learning as you go. From time to time you will mess something up…so what?
Sure, failure hurts. But it doesn’t sting nearly as much as dying with your song still inside you. You’re only here for a short while. Why not make the most of it?