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It is not an exaggeration to say that we spend our days moving closer to our dreams\u2014or farther away. Every moment that we invest in our goals brings us closer and every moment we ignore the prompting of our hearts takes us somewhere else.<\/p>\n
When people tell me that\u00a0 fear is a huge obstacle, I am quit certain that they have misdiagnosed the problem. Most of the time we are bewitched by self-doubt, not genuine fear (unless a tiger is about to devour us).<\/p>\n
Self-doubt can afflict anyone, of course. When this occurs, the healthy approach is to combat it with action rather than remaining inert. The more alternatives you have for dealing with those tenuous times, the more quickly you\u2019ll move through them.<\/p>\n
If you quake at the thought of going out on your own and setting up shop, or are nervous about embarking on a new venture, here are six fearbashers that can reroute you back to the road to success.<\/p>\n
\u00b0 Do temporary work<\/strong>. March into a temporary help agency and get signed up for a short term project. When you get an assignment, don\u2019t\u00a0 think of this primarily as a way to earn money. Use this project to do some homework.<\/p>\n No matter what business you are sent to work in, observe what goes on in a detached and analytical manner.\u00a0 You\u2019ll quickly discover that all sorts of mistakes and mishaps (even stupid decisions) will be part of every day.<\/p>\n Now notice that despite this lack of perfection, the business manages to stay afloat. Notice that every business has huge margins for error and it doesn\u2019t bring them crashing to their knees.<\/p>\n You can certainly do better than that, can\u2019t you? So get out there and do it.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00b0 Study a successful immigrant entrepreneur.<\/strong> A high percentage of people who come to the US from other parts of the world start their own businesses.<\/p>\n Imagine how much harder that would be in a strange culture where you may not speak the language. Yet, many of these newcomers have such a strong desire to build something of their own, a desire that they couldn\u2019t fulfill in their homeland, that the obstacles melt in the face of that determination.<\/p>\n We natives often look like wimps next to the hardworking and committed businessowners who have been drawn to this land of opportunity. Let them inspire you.<\/p>\n \u00b0 Fail on purpose.<\/strong> Young children try new things without thinking of success and failure. As we get older, many of us avoid any situation where we might not be brilliant. As a result, our world shrinks down to a short list of acceptable activities. This is not the road to self-actualization.<\/p>\n If you are terrified at the thought of failing, make a list all the things you are an utter klutz at doing. Then do something from that list once a week. At the very least, you may entertain your friends when you throw three gutter balls in a row.<\/p>\n At the other end of this temporary humiliation is all the power you\u2019ll gain by surviving a minor failure.<\/p>\n \u00b0 Develop a big roar<\/strong>. Next time you\u2019re driving alone in your car, pretend you\u2019re the Lion King or Queen. It worked in The Wizard of Oz<\/em><\/strong> and it will work for you, too. No kidding.<\/p>\n \u00b0 Make Nathan Lane your patron saint.<\/strong> In 2000, the wildly talented Lane starred in his own television series which was downright awful. It was so terrible, in fact, that it only ran for a few painful episodes.<\/p>\n Had it been even mildly successful, Lane would have been taping the series instead of wowing audiences in The Producers<\/em><\/strong>, a big Broadway hit for which he won the Best Actor Tony\u00a0 in 2001.<\/p>\n If you try something that turns out badly, think of it as your own failed series\u2014and celebrate the end of your contract.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00b0 Imagine your success.<\/strong> I am convinced that most people fail to go after their dreams or leave their comfort zones because they haven\u2019t taken the time to really think about what rewards their ultimate success would bring them.<\/p>\n Instead, they console themselves by saying things like, \u201cWell, this job or relationship or apartment isn\u2019t really that bad.\u201d<\/p>\n However, when you are focused on the rewards that will inevitably come, setbacks and disappointments are easier to handle. Often, in truth, what looks like a setback is just a resetting of the course and may, in the long run, make the journey sweeter.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to be willing to defer short-lived gratification in order to have something grander in the future. But first you must envision it and sell yourself on the new and better life you foresee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It is not an exaggeration to say that we spend our days moving closer to our dreams\u2014or farther away. Every moment that we invest in our goals brings us closer and every moment we ignore the prompting of our hearts takes us somewhere else. When people tell me that\u00a0 fear is a huge obstacle,…<\/p>\n