What is stopping you from tackling that big idea that you’ve been pondering on for months now?

Is it a 4-letter word- FEAR?

I often find that fear is a roadblock for many when it comes to taking next steps with their personal brand.

There is the fear about what others will think, the fear of failure, the fear of not getting it right....we could add to this list all day long.

What I do know is that there are ways we can step-up, stare FEAR in the FACE and then TAKE CONTROL. Here are three ways you can conquer fear and pursue your ideas!

1. Remember that progress is better than perfection

We know the saying “strive for perfection.”

It seems like a good goal to have, but what happens if you fall short of being perfect? I’ll let you in on a little secret...*no one is perfect*.

I get it, some of us are determined to be the BEST! I was reminded of this while watching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics the past few weeks. The best athletes in the world competing against each other, but everyone couldn’t get the GOLD.

The truth is, striving for perfection can cause unwanted stress because you are constantly pushing yourself to be perfect all of the time.

Trying to be perfect all of the time “limits your efficiency and effectiveness.”

We need to work to manage our stress and take care of our mental health. We’re hearing this more often in headlines these days.

Instead of worrying about what you may fall short on, focus on your growth as you make progress. Aim to strive for EXCELLENCE. Remember that you are not a perfect person, so not everything you do is going to be perfect…and that is okay!

2. Stop overthinking the obvious

You know what happens when you overthink?

When you overthink, your growth is hindered. You get caught up in thinking about what you could have done differently in your past or on your current projects. You get a case of the “Shoulda, coulda, woulda’s.”

Overthinking will also play mind games with you and make you think that what you are currently doing is not good enough. You’ll start re-evaluating things, restructuring your plan and you actually may start messing up your flow. Leave it alone!

In Day 1 of my book I mentioned that “Fear may take over you and make you believe that it is not your time.” Overthinking also causes you to believe that maybe this isn’t the time for you, any maybe you should put your idea on hold until….

You begin to overthink as you get overwhelmed.

Think more about what could go RIGHT and less about what could go wrong.

Should you think big? ABSOLUTELY!

Thinking outside of the box does not mean you are too ambitious. It means you are up for a challenge. You enjoy developing ideas and seeing your vision come to life. But when you overthink, your brilliant plan may fall by the wayside because you are doubting your capabilities.

You CAN think big if you do not let overthinking restrict you before you even get started.

3. Know that failure does not define you; it develops you!

Don't you hate that feeling in your gut when something you do happens to be unsuccessful?

One of my biggest fears is failure… which of course is NOT a good thing. The perfectionist in me isn’t always comfortable with not getting it right all the time (see #1) , but failure should not be a fear, it should be a MOTIVATOR.

Don’t be afraid to fail; be afraid to not try. We all know that famous quote from Wayne Gretzky’s “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” So.. TRY EVERYTHING! Don’t be afraid to take risks and try different things.

Can I be honest with you? You WILL fail at times.

You’ll have to experience failure in order to learn and grow. My girl Aaliyah’s said, “And if at first you don’t succeed, then dust yourself off and try again.”

If you do not try, how will you know if you’ll ever succeed?

Ask yourself how you can get out of your head.

“Remember to take charge of doubt and fear. Remind fear that it has no power over you.
Now LET’S GO!”

Blog co-authored by: A. Elliott

3 Ways to Conquer Fear and Pursue Your Ideas