How to Overcome Fear?

Think about something big you want to achieve.

It's probably still on your to-do list, right?

Most likely because of one thing: fear.

Some fear is holding you back from taking the next step.

To be clear, fear is not a bad thing in and of itself.

It is there to protect us. But, if it goes unchecked, fear hinders our ability to grow and meet our full potential.

Here’s an inspiring story to help overcome fear.

Art by Charbak Dipta

The good news is, once we figure out where our fear comes from, we can start to work on it. Fear usually comes from experiences that happened to us before.

Our brains work a bit like a GPS system.

They've got a map of 'rules' that they use to help us get around. This might include things like 'be nice so people will like you', or 'don't ask questions or people will think you're dumb'.

But just like a GPS system, sometimes our brain's map needs an update.

Imagine you're at work, and your boss gives you an important job. But there's a problem - you're not sure what to do.

If your brain's map is telling you 'don't ask questions or people will think you're dumb', you won't ask for help. You'll try to guess what to do instead, which won't end well.

This is the point where you need to be brave and do the thing you're scared of.

You need to ask the question.

Yes, some people might think you're dumb, and things might not go to plan. But most of the time, the things we're scared of don't even happen.

By facing your fear and taking action, you can update your brain's map. 'Don't ask questions or people will think you're dumb' becomes 'asking questions helps the team'.

With an updated map, you can make better choices and get closer to your big goal.