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If I
had a dollar
If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me “I can’t
believe you could do that”, I’d be standing on a pile of money.
 I
can’t believe you can stand in front of an audience and not get
nervous, I can’t believe you can feel that comfortable about
cold calling business, I can’t believe you can ride that zip
line, I can’t believe can walk into that room full of executives
and not be intimidated, I can’t believe you can return to study
at your age, I can’t believe you can travel overseas by
yourself…and on it goes.
What I’ve found most interesting about these comments is that to
me, none of these actions are really a big deal.
Nor are they for some others either I know, but after
hearing comments like this enough times, I have realised that
acting without fear isn’t easy for a lot of people.
After consideration, I realised that the confidence I have to
take on activities that many people find frightening, has been
developed and nurtured. And anyone can do the same. I realised
rather than talking myself out of doing something and finding
reasons, why not, why I can’t, I now automatically start to
think how can I…what do I need to do to make that work? Now,
fortunately most things come easy, but it has taken work to get
to a place where I feel confident in just about any situation.
When Franklin D Roosevelt famously quipped “We have nothing to
fear but fear itself”, he was on the money.
What enables a person act without fear in a situation? I
believe there are three behaviours that must become intrinsic to
shift a mindset from fearful to confident.
Number One: Take a Risk
Next time you have an opportunity to do something that scares
you, just say yes instead of over thinking reasons why you
can’t. Evoke Neales Donald Walsh quote “Life begins at the end
of your comfort zone” to inspire you to take risks to delight in
all life offers.
Number Two: Learn a Skill
Continually learning new skills means you open yourself to new
ideas. Every time you do something you haven’t done before, you
allow yourself to expand your experience and shift your
perspective. Consider what new activity/skill you have always
wanted to accomplish and begin.
Three: Become Proficient
It makes sense doesn’t it? If you can do something well, you
will be confident doing it. If you want to have the confidence
to speak from stage then you need to not only obtain the skills,
you also have to practice, practice and practice some more. To
speak well and with confidence on a subject you need to be well
rehearsed. Every time you stand in front of an audience you
will be less nervous until you will eventually feel confident to
enough you can address any problem that might arise. The same
goes for any fear you want to overcome.
When you live without fear, your stress levels are reduced all
the “good hormones” work effectively in your body and can cope
with real problems more effectively.
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