Manage Fear...or Let Fear Manage You

6 things I've learnt first-hand about Fear & Self Doubt...

1) We're far more capable than we think

2) When you lack the courage to do the things that scare you the most, your best bet is to stand up, stare fear squarely in the face and do it

3) Being fully present in the moment can conquer any level of fear

4) Fear is a mental construct almost always based on our imagination

5) When you feel anxious, 10-20 deep breaths into the diaphragm works like magic in alleviating stress

6) Any time I've done something which really stretched me, it almost always worked out better than I expected

When I started out as a sales trainer, I managed to secure a contract training a large group of salespeople.

I didn't sleep much the night before.

I was also too nervous to eat.

As a result I almost pulled out.

I had serious self doubts, that little voice in my head full of limitation...

- "What if I'm terrible?"

- "What will I do if I fall flat on my face?"

- "What if I'm just not cut out for this?"

But this was everything I'd been working on, so I forced myself to face the challenge head on.

I told myself I had two options - either get up & do this now, or quit and pursue something else!

With adrenaline pumping around my body I began.

As I found my feet, it started coming together.

I somehow found a way and developed into that 'flow state'.

After the first hour it felt like I'd done training like this a hundred times before.

It was uncanny.

Almost like second nature.

The feedback I received after the first day was phenomenal.

I was kind of in shock, but also ecstatic.

I'd found my vocation.

Sometimes, the only way to learn how to swim, is to dive straight in at the deep end!