Most of the problems we face with taking action to improve our lives, stem from our inability to or a lack of courage to face our fears. If you ever want to grow and succeed at anything you’ve got to find the courage to face your fears. A few weeks ago, we took time to reflect on the selfless contributions so many of our men and women have made to protect and defend this country. What greater sacrifice can one make for their country? As I enjoyed the freedom and security these men have afforded us on the weekend of Memorial Day, I got the chance to watch this documentary titled “Climbing Home.” It featured some of our young war Veterans who have been injured, and are suffering some form of disability, be it physical or mental. They were on a journey to climb Mt Everest; to face another tough challenge; to “conquer another territory.” Reaching the peak of this mountain is considered the greatest achievement for Mountaineers and many have died in their attempts to get there.
As I listened to their remarkable stories, I heard their eagerness as new recruits, to go out and “fight evil in the world”; their fierce dedication to their team and; the feeling expressed that they “did not expect to live.” Hearing these men and women talk about facing death daily, I could not help but imagine the courage, the level of mental toughness that it took for them to carry out their duties for days on end. I thought to myself that these men and women, for however long they were in combat, faced this fear of dying and kept moving. They left their stations every day, fully aware that they may not return; that it may be the last time they see some of their friends; take a shower; eat a meal; talk to their families; see the sun rise; experience life on this side. I asked myself, “what goes on in the minds of these people, as they face their fears and put themselves in harms way for their country?”
Fear is Good
Fear is an emotion, designed to protect us. When the brain detects a threat, it goes into the “fight or flight” mode to preserve us. We face all types of fears daily. For many of us the ultimate fear is death. Coming face to face with your own mortality, will have a very profound impact on the way you think. It affects your approach to life. It can also mean the difference between merely existing and actually living. While fear is meant to serve us, often we allow it to hold us back and prevent us from taking the risks necessary for personal growth.
Managing our fears however, allows us to build courage; to achieve feats we normally would think unattainable. I have no doubt that these brave men and women who fought for our country, dealt with these fears in their daily duties. Yet they learnt to move past it and carry out their duties with incredible courage. This kind of selflessness and courage even in the face of danger, demonstrates what it means to truly live. It is no wonder that so many of those who return, go on to become great leaders in different aspects of society.
These men and women can certainly teach us a thing or two about pushing through fear and actually living; facing our fears and keep on moving. If you had experienced what some of them have experienced, there’s no doubt that you would have developed a different perspective on life. For the majority of us, the fears we face daily are not life threatening. Yet we allow them to hold us in a safe position, where we do not venture outside of our comfort zone to achieve anything great. These fears may include a fear of failure, being rejected, meeting someone, speaking up in Public, being embarrassed or saying the wrong thing, just to name a few. As long as we allow these fears to keep us imprisoned inside our comfort zone, we will not grow and be able to achieve our true capabilities.
How do we manage these fears to have them work for us instead of against us? It won’t be easy but one thing for sure, it builds your mental fortitude. Follow the steps below to build the courage needed to face your conquer your fears:
Conquer Your Fears in 3 easy steps
- Determine what is causing the fear. This can be done by first acknowledging what you are feeling, and getting to the bottom of what’s triggering the emotion, by continuing to ask “why?” For example, if you are terrified of speaking up in a crowd, ask yourself “why?” It may be that you fear saying the wrong thing, not knowing what to say or fear being ridiculed. Continue asking “why” until you get to the root of the problem. Only then can you deal with fear. Often you will find that the fear is baseless, and may just require you to now change your mental script.
- Make your desire to succeed, bigger than the fear you are facing. Begin to flood your mind with the desire to succeed at whatever you want. See yourself succeeding at doing the thing you fear. Cause the desire to succeed, to become so great that the fear begins to subside. Practicing and preparing ahead of time will also build your confidence and reduce fear.
- Take action and continue moving towards your goals. Refuse to become immobilized by fear. Instead, start taking action despite the fear. You will find that after doing the thing you feared once, it will help to build your courage. As you continue building your courage by repeatedly taking action, you will eventually conquer the fear.
It takes a special kind of person to be able to face their fears, hold it under control and still move forward into situations where the possibility of losing your life is so great. As we continue to honor these courageous men and women, let us show our gratitude for the freedom they have afforded us and “take a page out of their book.” Let’s start facing our fears and allow these emotions to serve us. Resolve to not become immobilized by them, but instead, learn to courageously move pass them to accomplish the seemingly impossible.
