Only fools don’t feel fear. There’s no escaping it. All you can do is try manage it.
Here are some tricks to keep fear in check:
- Meditate – clearing your mind is a powerful way to quiet the little voice in your head and remove your doubts.
- Prepare – Don’t take a knife to a gunfight. Preparation will give you confidence.
- Imagine the worst scenario – The real-life consequences of losing are rarely as bad as your imagination makes them out to be. Think it through and you’ll be less scared.
- Cultivate close relationships – The more social ties you have, the braver you will be.
- Act brave – The psychologist William James proved that if you act confident your body will produce the hormones that make you confident. Outward appearances can impact your mental state. Stand tall, shoulders back.
- Read – The more you read the more you’ll realise you’re not alone. Many others have been in worse situations and survived. Why not you?
- Fail – The more you take risks, fail and survive, the more you will overcome the fear of failure.