5 Ways to Dominate that FEAR
Fear takes us further than we want to go and keeps us longer than we want to stay.
Fears underline almost all emotions, disappointment, sadness, motivation, anger, even getting angry. Because it dominates our lives, this list is 5 ways to kill that FEAR.
It was the impetus to produce my film & eBook NO FEAR: A Simple Guide to Mental Toughness.
1) KNOW THE SOURCE-
If we can’t identify where the fright is coming from or what it is about, how can we possibly begin to challenge it? One way or another, our fears stem from the belief that “it” won’t work out how I want it to.
Romans 8:1 states, there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. If you believe in that verse, then any thoughts of fear, self-ridicule, or not being good enough are certainly not from God, the source is coming from someplace else.
Hint: it’s not ourselves
2) IT FOCUSES ON THE FUTURE OR THE PAST-
Think of it as a person, not an emotion.
He will try to show us why we should be afraid! That individual will direct our attention to the outcome, the result, and something out of our control. Fears want us to become obsessed with some event or person in the future, a year, a month, even a day. It also wants us to look backward not at our successes, but our shortcomings and our failures. Fear loses its grip when we stay in the now.
It’s one way that we dominate that fear!
3) THERE IS ALWAYS SOME TRUTH TO IT-
Fear is not all or nothing. Yes, your son or daughter may get injured, not play DI in college, or get in an accident. Yes, we may fail.
If we take a game-winning shot and miss, it will hurt. If we attempt a change in our business, we may get stuck! All truths. But fears do not stop there.
It keeps going and going; fear catastrophizes.
It takes us down a road of imagining the worst-case scenario. Imagining that if we try and fail, not ONLY will it suck, but also my friends will think I am a failure and I will lose my job.
We can dominate that fear by ranking it from 1-10, if it’s higher than a 6, go to the next step.
4) SHARE THE FEAR-
We keep our biggest fears to ourselves and when we do that, it can grow legs.
Most people share with their friends, hairdressers, or bartenders so why not share fears with them? They aren’t experts and won’t be able to provide quality solutions,
but a problem shared becomes half a problem.
The 4th way we dominate that fear is to say it aloud! Once we verbalize aloud and can hear our own voice, the fears actually diminish instantly. Try it!
5) PRAY, AND IF THAT DOESN’T WORK, PRAY AGAIN –
Mental toughness is not about doing it alone, it is about surrendering to the things out of our control. Having worked with many successful high achievers, I am convinced the biggest worry is simply not being good enough.
The expectations and pressure to succeed often become overwhelming and even if it is good enough, it doesn’t last for very long.
The fear returns, knocking on our door, saying, “remember me?” When we let go of the it, it let’s go of us…
For more in-depth strategies on dominating that fear, check out my film & eBook. NO FEAR: A Simple Guide to Mental Toughness.
Dr. Rob Bell is a Sport Psychology Coach. His company DRB & associates coach executives and professional athletes and is based in Indianapolis. Some clients have included three winners on the PGA Tour, Indy Eleven, University of Notre Dame, Marriott, and Walgreens.
Please Check out all the books and the mental toughness podcast - 15 Minutes of Mental Toughness as we interview expert athletes and coaches about Mental Strength and their Hinge Moment. New blog posts are published weekly.