Can you overcome Fear?

Yes you can.

Everyone has something they are afraid of. The difference between having fears and overcoming them is taking action.

First things first. What is fear?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as;

An unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. Or an anxious concern.

In other words, your worries are the Anticipation of pain. It only exists in the moment. And your mind is afraid of a future event. It is not actually happening now.So, what’s there to worry about? If you remain present you not worry about anything.

However, our minds like to play games with us. It is like the mind is saying “What if?” What if this happens or that happens? What if I forget my lines? What if nobody laughs at my jokes? What if people think I’m boring?

The mistake that many people make is waiting until the feeling of fright or apprehension goes away. For if you don’t do anything to overcome your fears they will never go away.

Your fears are the only things that gets smaller as you get closer to it. And when you confront them they go away.

Running away from your phobias will solve nothing. To truly overcome your qualms you need to tame them. What do I mean by that? Well, act in spite of anything you feel. That is the only way to tame it.

If you are afraid to speak in public, what do you need to do to overcome this? Run toward your fears. Yes, that means speaking in public. One way to start is speaking to small groups. Maybe 1 or 2 people. Work up to more. Join a Toastmasters club. There are over 10,000 clubs all over the world.

I actually find it easier to speak to a large group than a small group. With a large audience it doesn’t seem as personal. I could be standing at home speaking to a camera. Of course that’s not how I feel when I'm actually presenting, but I find that it’s more difficult to entertain or inform a small group.

I know people will say, “But I am still nervous!” That nervousness you’re feeling isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It means you care about your audience. You want to make sure that they are entertained, informed or like your presentation. The thing to do is harness that nervous energy.

Take that energy and let that drive you. Make that energy work for you instead of against you. If you feel afraid tell yourself that you are taking this nervous energy and going to make your presentation the best one ever.

Susan Jeffers says it best in her book, Feel the Fear . . . and Do It Anyway In it she provides techniques and ideas to help people take hold of their phobias and live their lives without trepidation.

In her book, Jeffers describes different levels of fears. Anxiety caused by public speaking is something that requires action. Therefore, overcoming your anxiety of public speaking will require some action. I highly recommend her book.

Perfection is a type of phobia. Some people feel that they can’t do this or that until it is perfect. Everything has to be just right? Why? Well, maybe they're concerned about rejection or ridicule. Maybe they feel that if their speech isn't perfect then they aren't ready to present.

The thing is Each Master was Once a Disaster. Everyone started somewhere. The first time Tiger Woods hit a golf ball I’m sure it didn’t go straight. Michael Jordan didn’t make his high school basketball team.

And I bet the first time Anthony Robbins spoke, it wasn’t perfect.

But, they kept doing it. They kept practicing. What would have happened if Thomas Edison didn’t keep experimenting with the light bulb? What if Anthony Robbins stopped speaking to people the first time someone didn’t laugh at a joke?

Taking action in spite of your fear takes courage. But to overcome your worries that is what you need to do. So take action regardless of discomfort. Regardless of mood. Regardless of someone else’s approval.

Click here for ways to help overcome your anxiety of public speaking.

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