Ralph Waldo Emerson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill–among many others–assert the importance of grasping the nettle, doing things one fears.
As an experiment, for the next week, make it a point to do one thing you fear every day.
A Lesson from Childhood Worth Rediscovering
Childhood is marked by a series of learning experiences, overcoming initial anxieties or fears.
Learning to walk, to swim, to study in school, to cultivate one’s mind and develop one’s body… each of these draws upon a degree of courage.
Do you recall being concerned about your first speeches before school audiences? Do you recall the challenge of various competitions?
You may well have some fears from that period that remain with you today. One hears constantly, for example, of adult fears of public speaking that the sufferers trace back to a searing childhood embarrassment or humiliation.
And yet, in most cases, as a young person you learned to overcome fears and anxieties, and to do so on a regular basis.
Are you continuing to do that today? Or are you repeating things you already know how to do, staying in your comfort zone?
What Do You Fear Now?
Fears can be rational or irrational. In all cases, the ultimate question is how you choose to frame them in your mind’s eye.
What do you fear now?
Perhaps it’s something large, such as your financial situation. Perhaps it’s something more precise, such as fear of writing or speaking. Perhaps it’s a family issue. Perhaps it’s a workplace test.
In all cases, your habits of thought–how you frame the issue and react to it–are decisive.
Are you taking on new challenges with the courage of a child? Are you willing to dive into the water metaphorically, as you once did in reality?
Just One Thing: Do One Thing You Fear Each Day
This week, do one thing you fear each day.
It may be something you’ve meant to take on for a long time. It may mean simply overcoming procrastination, getting going on something.
It may mean approaching a person. It may mean taking on a challenge, great or small.
Whatever it may be, identify one fear each day and plow through it. Even if it’s small, your capacities for courage will be strengthened, opening yourself to new possibilities.
Getting past fear is never a small thing.
This Week: Do One Thing You Fear Each Day
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Just One Thing is a weekly challenge, adapted from Serve to Lead.
