“Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.” W.Clement Stone.

It has been another big week in British politics. Parliament debated and then failed to reach any definite conclusions on the way forward with regard to the UK’s imminent departure from the European Union. This led to the Government facing a no confidence vote which they won. It was all very chaotic and unpredictable.

The uncertainty is creating much fear for many people who feel frightened about what happens next and where all this is leading. Some businesses are unable to plan with any certainty and as a result are cutting back on their spending and investments. Many individuals are unsure about how their daily lives will be affected and the impact it will have on future travel plans to European Union countries.

Much of what is happening is outside of our control but that doesn’t stop people feeling frightened. Sometimes we can control events and yet still feel some fear about the future.

Watching the events unfold made me reflect on the effect that other people’s actions and fear can have on our life experiences, results and fulfilment of potential if we let them!

It also made me think that many of the politicians are focusing their time and energy on problems, obstacles and differences of opinion. There is limited evidence of people being open minded and spending time looking for compromise and solutions.

We’re are all born with unlimited potential but on occasions we simply get in our own way and make life more complicated than it really needs to be. There’s a great quotation by Confucius, “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated!” Sometimes the biggest limitations we have in life are the ones that we impose on ourselves and have in our own minds.

Fear is one of our biggest limitations (or interferences as I like to call them). Many people refer to fear as “False Expectations Appearing Real!” Much of what we worry about and are frightened by never actually happens. However, this doesn’t stop us worrying!

There are many fears that stop people fulfilling their potential and goals. These include a fear of change and the unknown which keeps us stuck in our comfort zone. Also a fear of rejection stops us asking for what we want, a fear of criticism which prevents us attempting a new approach to a task. A fear of success for some individuals means they self sabotage their results so that they continue to mesh with the crowd.

The effect of fear on results and people’s lives forms part of the coaching discussions that I have with a fair proportion of clients at some stage. It can be when I’m working with a leader of a blue chip company, a sales director, someone new to management, an individual looking to start their own business or change jobs.

When people are going through or contemplating some form of change in their life, it can cause fears to crop up. Often people don’t realise the impact that fear is having on them and how it’s holding them back until they start talking about their goals or challenges. It’s normally an unconscious behaviour.

It appears that we’re all afraid of something whether it’s spiders, flying, speaking in public or walking into a roomful of strangers. The philosopher Bertrand Russell said “Fear is the main source of superstition and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.” Fear is a very small word but can have a massive impact on someone’s life and performance. It can be a powerful and paralysing force.

I was once told we’re born with just two fears – the fear of noise and falling down. Every other fear we have is a learned behaviour.

The good news about interferences including fear is that as they are a ‘learned behaviour’ we can unlearn them! It requires us to form some new habits and behaviours. Changing our daily habits and rituals is the starting point that allows us to get out of our own way.

Challenges and obstacles do present us with an opportunity to learn and grow as we discover new depths as we search for solutions to overcome them. We may discover that we are more creative than we realised when we devise solutions that are new and innovative. This can help develop our self-confidence and self-worth. Self-belief can increase when we face and overcome our obstacles. Faith in our ability when confronted with an obstacle is a great habit to develop.

Adopting a positive mindset to interferences and obstacles is another great quality to hone. As is, believing that obstacles are an opportunity to gain new knowledge and experience. Overcoming interferences provides a sense of accomplishment and is a useful future reference point when faced with similar challenges.

If there’s a fear you would like to overcome, getting some external help or friend’s support is a good way to start the ball rolling. It provides an accountability mechanism and is a source of encouragement and external input that we all need sometimes.

This week, why not take a few moments out to reflect and think about the role that fear plays in your life. Is there a fear that is holding you back and preventing you from being the best you can be? If so what small steps will you commit to in order to conquer the grip that this fear has on you?

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk