“Don’t try to be fearless…Just try to prevent fear from making your decisions for you.” – Chris Guillebeau

From the time we’re very small, we’re told that fear is something we should avoid.  Parents tell their children “Don’t be afraid” in the middle of a loud thunderstorm.  Medical professionals tell people “There’s nothing to be afraid of” prior to various medical procedures.  We’re told our whole lives that one of the keys to a successful life is not being afraid, and we’re supposed to model famous fearless people who’ve been wildly successful due to their apparent lack of fear.

That’s ridiculous.  Everyone who has any contact with reality will experience fear, and it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  Fear exists because we want to be safe and survive, and safety and survival aren’t things we want to avoid.

The problem isn’t that we have fear.  The problem is allowing that fear to dictate our thinking, our behavior, our relationships, and so on.  Instead of acting in a way that allows us to be successful over a long period of time, we act in a way that may ensure our immediate safety and security but usually sets us up for failure – and lots more fear – in the future.

It’s easy to say we need to make sure our fears don’t drive our lives when you’re typing up a blog post.  It’s way harder when you’re actually faced with things you’re afraid of.  Some of those fears are obvious, but some can be pretty sneaky.  Sometimes we live our lives based on fear without even really realizing it.

For leaders (or anyone else) to deal with fear, one of the keys is to recognize it and name it.  So, ask yourself: As a leader, what am I afraid of?  Financial failure?  Lack of support from my team?   Looking like I don’t know what I’m doing?  A hundred other things?

Everyone has fears.  It doesn’t matter who you are, or how long you’ve been a leader.  Some people refuse to admit it, but it’s true. 

You must acknowledge fear before you can deal with it, and you must deal with it before you can be successful.  Be honest with yourself.  Know what you fear, and how it’s impacting you.  Once you know it, you can start to control it. 

Don’t let fear drive your life.  Take back the wheel and start steering yourself.