“I talk a lot about learning to become fearless in your approach to life. But fearlessness is not the absence of fear. It’s the mastery of fear. It’s all about getting up one more time than you fall down.”
-Arianna Huffington, Influential Founder of The Huffington Post and the CEO of Thrive Global
Emotional courage is your ability to act thoughtfully, strategically, and powerfully while feeling afraid.
- Sometimes our fears are legitimate.
- Other times our fears are hypothetical or unlikely.
- Once you know what fear feels like for you and if it’s founded or unfounded, you will be better equipped to recognize it and take control rather than allowing your fears to dictate your behaviors.
Let go of the notion that there is some form of “ready” and that all you really need to do is be willing.
Reframe failure as a learning opportunity. Find out the lessons and use them constructively in future.
Tameika Isaac Devine, former Council Member and Mayoral Candidate, City of Columbia, comments on unfounded fears.
(10 minute watch)
Exercise:
Use the interactive Fear to Focus worksheet below to list out what you think could hold you back and how you can resolve those fears.
Additional Resources:
- Article: Why Are We Still Telling Women They Lack Self-Confidence?
- Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones