“Do you want to partner on a live event to help other people build the kind of business and life you life you have created?”
I hesitated. I could feel my chest tightening. That little voice of doubt was now whispering a little louder.
“You aren’t good enough.”
That is the “fear” talking to me. That little voice. That scared little boy. My fear of failure.
I mean, of course I wanted to do my own live event! The idea of 50 people joining me in Minneapolis to invest in a weekend of learning, sharing, growing, connecting and preparing to build businesses should be the easiest “Yes” in the world!
And yet, there was that little voice. And my coach, Jane Atkinson, was waiting for an answer.
I decided to take the leap: “Hell yes, Jane. I’m in!”
Just like that, Accelerate Live 2017 was born. After months of hard work and planning, we’ll welcome those 50 people to my hometown this weekend. It’s going to be epic and I simply cannot wait to get started!
In hindsight, the most epic failure would have certainly been to succumb to that little voice and let the fear of failure overwhelm me into passing on this weekend all together.
However, I’ve learned how to move through my fear and ultimately the same steps I used to decide and join Jane on this journey are the same ones I use anytime I need to get unstuck.
Watch the Video:
Confront the Fear
At this point in my life and career, I now know that fear is a normal companion anytime I consider stepping out of my comfort zone to embark on something new. I also know that most of what I fear never actually manifests into reality.
So I confront my fears directly: I write them down.
Then I consider the probability of these things actually happening. What are consequences would be if they actually did? What would it take for me to recover?
(The probability of nobody showing up this weekend in Minneapolis simply wasn’t very likely or based upon rational, logical thinking.)
I also consider the consequence and cost of not taking action, and I write that down too. I find this step to be incredibly powerful.
What is the cost of staying in a bad relationship? What is the cost of staying in a job that makes you miserable? What is the consequence of not improving your health and wellness?
Compound those costs over a five year window and you might have a different resolve toward taking action now.
The opportunity cost of missing out on this weekend became unimaginable to me.
Decide and Commit to Act
The best antidote to fear is a bold, specific, intentional, committed action.
That action will also catalyze the universe to conspire in your favor to lend the people and resources you need to make meaningful progress.
In the absence of action, that little doubting voice tends to get louder, producing all kinds of false narratives and limiting beliefs about the future. In the absence of action, it’s easy to get stuck.
The goal isn’t to stop being afraid. It’s to create the right perspective and muster up the courage to move past fear and make meaningful progress. I’ll never be fearless, but I absolutely can step forward knowing that what lies on the other side of bold, decisive action in the face of fear is victory.
2018 is going to arrive. How you arrive will be a direct reflection of the decisions you make and action you today. The time is now!
I can’t wait to see everyone tomorrow for #AccelerateLive17. Let’s dance with our fear, move past our own self-imposed limitations and prepare for impact!
