I actually imagine that once we have interaction with matters just like the one I’m going to deal with and sort out right here, we enrich not simply our personal lives, but additionally these we contact immediately or not directly, whether or not that’s in our private lives or in our work lives.

In the present day, I’m going to discover an emotion that all of us expertise—one only a few of us harness successfully. It’s one thing that may be each debilitating and highly effective. That emotion is concern.

An emotion all of us expertise

Worry is one thing that has historically been considered as an adversary, one thing to keep away from, one thing that holds us again. It’s an emotion that instantly lets us know when some sort of hazard is round, whether or not that hazard is bodily and close to us or extra psychological in nature. Worry has the ability to be a really immobilizing emotion, typically leaving us anxious and uncertain within the quick time period.

Worry typically provides us a “struggle or flight” response the place we develop into alarmed. We’ve got to make the choice to both keep and face the hazard or select to flee away from the stressor. As a primal emotion, concern may cause your physique to organize itself for no matter motion you select—be that staying or fleeing. You’ll be performing beneath stress it doesn’t matter what, and concern is the go-to emotion in occasions of stress.

However what if I informed you that concern, when understood and harnessed appropriately, could possibly be certainly one of your biggest motivators? Let’s unpack that for a second, we could?

Think about that you just’re on the fringe of a cliff and your objective is on the opposite facet. Worry may hold you from taking that first leap. You might be too frightened to even take into consideration stepping a toe off that cliff and end up frozen to the spot. 

However that concern is similar concern that additionally helps to intensify your senses. It focuses your thoughts and offers you a rush of adrenaline getting ready you for no matter your subsequent motion is. 

So, right here is the important thing: Worry isn’t the issue.

Unpacking concern itself

Worry is a pure response, it’s an intuition designed to guard us. It’s a response and an emotion all of us really feel that’s been key to our survival! It may be a powerful emotion that prompts visceral, instinctive reactions. 

However the true downside lies in our response or our response to our personal concern. Usually, we let concern management us. Typically concern even dictates our selections or limits our potential. However I believe it’s time we shift that narrative, don’t you? As a substitute of seeing concern as a wall, let’s take a look at it as a sign or an indicator that we’re about to embark on one thing magical, one thing nice, one thing that issues and one thing that may have an effect on others in a constructive manner.

The true energy of concern

I’ve achieved quite a lot of public talking in my profession. And but, if I’m being utterly weak, it’s nonetheless certainly one of my biggest fears. All of us have fears that really feel like huge obstacles we’d not ever recover from. My concern of public talking was once debilitating for me. However I take a look at that concern in another way in the present day.

I used to be fortunate sufficient to have a mentor, somebody who’s arguably probably the greatest public audio system within the business, on the earth. He watched me panic earlier than happening stage in entrance of seven,000 folks. After I caught him taking a look at me, I apologized. I used to be so embarrassed for him to see me behaving like that. 

However he gave me a few of the finest recommendation round concern that I may have ever acquired. He informed me: 

“Amy, don’t apologize. Your panic earlier than happening stage says that you just care about your viewers. I don’t fear about you being nervous earlier than talking. That concern is ardour to attach and willpower to ship worth. If you happen to ever don’t really feel a bit nervous or a stage of concern earlier than delivering to an viewers, that’s when you need to fear. That’s once I would fear. That’s when you need to give up. That’s a sign that your ardour is gone.”

I take into consideration that recommendation earlier than each public talking engagement or gig I’ve. I acknowledge that my concern is going on. I perceive it higher now, together with why it’s occurring and the way I can use it as a motivator. 

3 steps to harnessing the ability of concern as a motivator

Acknowledging concern itself can appear scary. However acknowledgment of concern can do two issues: assist to dispel the concern and assist to harness the concern.

The recommendation my mentor gave to me is the recommendation that I prolong to you on harness concern.

1. Acknowledge the concern. You is perhaps afraid of failure, rejection or of the unknown. And that’s okay. Admitting that you just’re scared isn’t an indication of weak point. It’s recognition of your humanity. In a 2012 examine from a staff of UCLA psychologists even discovered that verbally acknowledging concern can assist us regulate the sensation.
2. Perceive your concern. What are you actually afraid of? Dig deep into your concern. Understanding your concern will enable you to develop methods to confront it. You may understand that the factor you’re frightened of isn’t as daunting as you initially thought or that you just’re extra able to overcoming it than you initially gave your self credit score for. 
3. Use concern as a stepping stone, not as a stumbling block. Let your concern, no matter it could be for, remind you that you just’re on the sting of one thing important. As a substitute of working away, use that concern to inspire you and propel you ahead.

With these steps in thoughts, the subsequent time you’re feeling concern creeping in, take a minute to pause. Pausing provides you additional time to step again and hearken to and perceive the concern. Use that understanding of your concern to gas your journey towards success.

Keep in mind, concern isn’t the enemy. It’s a compass exhibiting us what issues and pushing us to develop. You need to use the ability of concern as a stepping stone towards your objectives and private achievements. You’re stronger than your fears, it doesn’t matter what they could be. 

Photograph by ©Mike D’Avello.