Don’t Let Fear Of The Unknown Stop You From Trying New Things
Among the top fears for most people are the fear of the unknown, and the fear of failure.
I came across a quote (unknown source) that reads, “Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.”
I suppose that the older one gets, the more one reflects back upon life. I wonder how many people end up regretting not having done (or tried) ‘this’ or ‘that’. And I’ll bet that the reasons for not having tried or done ‘that’ include the fear of failure and the fear of the unknown…
Overcome Your Fear Of The Unknown Or Fear Of Failure
Don’t let worry, fear of the unknown, or doubt, define who you are. These emotions may end up causing regrets such that you ‘could have’, ‘might have’, or ‘should have’ done this or that…
Many of us may dream of, or wish of, doing or accomplishing something that may seem difficult, or maybe even ridiculously difficult. However, many of us will let doubt and fear of the unknown get the better of us. Stop us from trying.
It is true that these emotions are part of our built-in survival interface. However these same emotions can really hinder us from going further in life.
So how do we get through it?
“Push forward no matter what.” Force yourself to move towards your fear.
“Get comfortable with your fear.” Action builds courage.
“This fear will pass.” (tell yourself)
“Think positive.” Don’t dwell on the fear. Dwell on the solutions.
“Opportunity may pass you by.” (if you don’t take action)
“Motivation through the successes of others.” Others have done it, so can you.
“Do not doubt your success.” Plan and be deliberate in your steps.
Context
Prepping and Preparedness context? I post these thoughts partly because prepping and preparedness is a process that may begin with fear or concern of the unknown. You don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, though it could be bad… Therefore you might not know exactly what to do. Where to start. Why, and how much. To what extent. However to actually become better prepared, you must push through the fear of the unknown, and take action(s).
Additionally, there are often many excuses as to why we might choose NOT to do something. Sometimes because it may be way out of our comfort zone, or we’re afraid of that unknown. However if we force ourselves to just do it – we are often rewarded for the new experience or accomplishment. These things fill our lives as we look back and reflect…
Break through the fear and remove, or go around, any obstacles that may stand in your way.
I cannot tell you how many times that I have been apprehensive about doing something, or taking on a project, task, or ‘other’ that involves stepping into the unknown. It can be a fearful thing. But I can tell you that you will be the better for it afterwards. And the more that you challenge yourself, the easier it becomes the next time…
How many times have you heard the words “I should have done that years ago.” ?
Instead of saying to yourself “I can’t”, maybe you say “I can”, or “I will”.
Don’t get me wrong… fear is not a bad thing. But letting fear control your life is. Fear is the minds way of saying stop, look, think, and decide.
“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself“
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Winston Churchill: Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.
Winston Churchill: Never, never, never, give up.
Food for thought…
[ Read: Prepping For Reasons Other Than Fear ]