We live and work in the age of uncertainty. Stress and anxiety are commonplace. Fear, whether recognized or not, is everywhere.
What do I mean by fear?
According to dictionary.com: Fear is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.
We are fearful, for example, of not keeping a major client account, of acquiring new clients, of meeting deadlines, of being creative enough or being accurate enough, of getting to the meeting on time or any number of daily examples.
Fear is individual. What is fearful to one person may not be something you fear.
There’s even a popular television show called the “Fear Factor” that explores fears humans encounter.
During the day you may choose to play music as you work at your desk.
Fear is like music in the background.
It’s there all the time; even though you may not be consciously aware of it. Yet the fear lurks.
Just like the music you play in the background while you work, after a period of time, you don’t really pay much attention to the music. The music is secondary to the concentration necessary to do your work. It becomes background noise.
Fear operates in a similar way. If you are constantly in fear, which many people are these days, and you don’t determine why as well as deal with the issue, you will find yourself unable to move forward. Fear if not dealt with can greatly hinder your success as well as your company’s success.
Yes, some forms of fear are good. Such as the fear of touching a hot stove or of missing your airplane flight.
But most fear comes from our imagination or from a past experience rather than looking at each moment as a new, fresh experience. Preconceived notions instead overcome the situation which creates the fear. The fear becomes another form of background music only generally not as pleasant.
For greater success, become more aware of your fear. Then push through it. Often, once you do, you will find that you will be glad you did as it takes you to another level of confidence and achievement. This will bring more balance to your work and your life.
Note: Fear in business was the topic this week on my Blog Talk Radio show, Talk Business With Howard. Tom Rieger, author of the book: Breaking The Fear Barrier: How Fear Destroys Companies And What To Do About It, was my guest. Every CEO, president, business owner, entrepreneur and founder should take the time to listen to what Tom has to say about fear in business. It will open your mind to how you lead and manage your company.
Tom’s book is so impressive and vital to business success that I wrote a book review at SmallBizTrends.
You can listen to the audio replay of the radio show at the top of this blog post.
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