BOOST YOUR COURAGE INSTANTLY: DON'T LET FEAR STOP YOU

By Patrick Laforet

If you’re not actively pursuing your dreams, fear is likely to blame. Fear can stop you from taking the actions necessary to achieve success.

In these times of closures, layoffs, and work suspensions, we need to make sure fear doesn't overtake us. Fear is the enemy, not the situations we find ourselves in.

Some people are experts at plowing through fears, while others could use a few tips. You’d be shocked by how much your life would change if you could just increase your courage by 10%! That’s all it takes. Courage creates action, which boosts your courage even higher.

FOLLOW THESE STRATEGIES TO INCREASE YOUR COURAGE AND ACCOMPLISH MORE:

1. Visualize success. Fear comes from imagining the worst, so one solution is to imagine a positive outcome. It’s important to make the visualization as real as possible. Use all of your senses to create a realistic scene. Imagine how you’ll feel when you’re successful.

◗ Do this regularly and it will make a difference. Employing this technique even one time can be enough to take the edge off your fear and allow you to act.

2. Imagine your child is watching you. (I love this one!) It’s easy to take the easy way out when you’re alone. Have you ever noticed that the presence of an audience can make you a little bolder? No one wants to lose face in front of their peers.

◗ Now, imagine that your child is watching you. Who wants to be afraid in front of their own kid? No one! Tell yourself that you’re going to set a good example. Behave the way you’d want your child to behave.

3. Call on your alter ego. You have multiple personalities. There’s the personality you use at work. There’s another personality you use with your friends. Another you use at home. And yet another you’d use at a job interview.

◗ You can have a personality that is bold and brave. Become that person. Give him or her a backstory. Feel the way they would feel. Do what they would do. Just be that person. Pick up the phone, send out messages, or do research that will help you. Many other people are stuck at home just like you and are answering calls like never before.

4. Ask yourself what a brave person would do. Choose that course of action. Think of someone you know who’s brave and contemplate how they would handle your situation. If you know someone who is courageous, ask them what they would do if they were you.

5. Imagine you only have a week left to live. If you knew you were done in a week, you wouldn’t be afraid of anything. You’d have a different perspective on life, and nothing could bother you. If you’re going to die soon, would you care what some stranger thought of you or your failure? Of course not.

6. Focus on the regret you’ll feel if you fail to act. Instead of thinking about failure, think about the consequences of never trying. Regret is a painful pill to swallow. Give yourself the chance to be successful.

The last thing anyone wants is to spend the latter part of life wondering is, “What if?”

7. Change your physiology. Breathe deeply. Stand up straight. Look straight ahead. Stand the way an emperor would stand. Imagine yourself as the most successful and powerful person in history. How would you stand, breathe, and think? Do that.

Is fear limiting your choices in life? What would you do if you were free of fear? Fortunately, you don’t have to eliminate your fear by 100% to see a drastic change in your life. It just takes a small boost in courage to get the ball rolling.

When you’re faced with fear, try using one of these techniques and notice what happens. Take action and learn a new way of approaching the world–without fear! ◗

Patrick Laforet is a senior recruiter with over 25 years of experience placing sales, marketing and senior management positions all across North America with a particular focus on the franchise industry. He has been described as a trusted advisor by many of his clients. Author of Job Search Secrets 2020: Pat is also the owner of www.911forjobhunters.com, where he delivers online training and coaching. Email him at plaforet@stoakley .com or visit our site for more free resources.

Typical business success indicators include your company's growth, the amount of money it provides you, and your ability to retain control of the business for yourself or your offspring. Because entrepreneurs do not all start businesses for the same reasons, there is no single norm. It's best to create your own definition of a successful business.