Six Ways to Overcome Fear

As you get closer to fulfilling your dreams, don't be surprised if doubt and fear surface. The No. 1 way in which we sabotage our dreams is by asking things like, "But, what if?" and imagining the worst: "But, what if I ... fail, succeed, say or do the wrong thing ... or don't make enough money?"

With this thinking, as you move toward your dream, you'll also move toward your fears and worst nightmares. With too much to risk, most of us will give up or never even begin. Here are six ways to overcome fear:

1. Break your indecision. Draw a line across the center of a piece of paper. At the top, write your dream in as much detail as possible. At the bottom, write out your reality (as it pertains to this dream) including your fears, doubts and "but, what ifs?"

Are you more committed to your dream or to your fear?

Two things will cause you to be more committed to your fear. The first is if you don't have a clearly defined dream. The second is when you project your worst fears into your dream, which will lead you to choose reality because it's safer. But when fear is also labeled as part of reality, it's easier to be more committed to your vision, and fear simply becomes something to manage.

2. Meet your "Doubter." As you connect to your dreams, you'll often run into the voice of your "Doubter," which tells us everything that might go wrong. Left unattended, this voice can be disruptive. But simply turn the "Doubter" down a notch, and it becomes the voice of the "Realist," who primarily wants to know what you are planning, usually related to time and money issues. Early on, you may not have all the details figured out, which is why strategizing too soon can actually hinder or limit your dream. Interview your "Doubter" and be curious. Capture its needs, insights and wisdom.

3. Identify what you fear. Just saying, "I'm afraid," can be a whitewash that keeps you stuck. So, the first step in managing fear is to identify exactly what you are afraid of. Next, make a list of obstacles based on your fears and concerns. The Dream Coach rule is, wherever there's an obstacle, design a strategy to manage it.

4. Know that beliefs are never neutral. They either move you forward or hold you back. But, you choose what to believe. The way to move from limiting beliefs that hold you back to empowering beliefs that move you forward is through willingness, courage and practice. Be willing to believe in yourself and your dreams and have the courage to act on what you believe. Develop this as part of your identity by practicing this behavior continuously until it becomes true.

5. Don't allow one need or issue to destroy your dream. Are you aware of what typically stops you? For most of us, it's something that we hate, something that we're not good at, or something that we have no idea how to tackle. It can be frightening, and when that task is essential to the success of your venture, it can mean your demise.

However, the time you waste worrying would best be used by seeking guidance and finding answers. If your dream is to write a book but you can't type, this doesn't have to stop you. Learn a new skill or hire someone. If you can't afford that, explore bartering. Get creative and get going!

6. Overcome fear and other obstacles (even time and money issues) by enrolling others into your vision. Master this skill and you'll accomplish bigger dreams with less effort. Learn to talk to anyone -- at any time and any place -- about their
dreams in a way where they feel inspired. Ask what their personal or professional dreams are and explore. Build an arsenal of people that you can reach out to in a pinch. Develop a robust database of brilliant resources that you can access at any given moment. Build a community of fellow dreamers or join one that already exists, like www.mydreamcircle.com.

Marcia Wieder is America's Dream Coach. Dreamcoach.com