Fear of Getting Started

Have you been putting off working toward a goal or a dream? Have you already convinced yourself that your goal is worthwhile but you’re having trouble getting started? Do you have fear of getting started? Oftentimes, the hardest part of achieving our goals is getting started. Fear of failure, fear of change or even fear of success can make us reluctant to make our dreams a priority. The following simple yet powerful strategies will help you set your dream in motion!

Stop waiting for your fear of getting started to go away.

I’ve been putting off starting my blog for far too long, coming up with all sorts of reasons to procrastinate. I simply didn’t feel “ready”. I was waiting for an inspirational “Aha! moment” to fill me with a surge of motivation and catapult me into action. The reality was that I was putting my dreams up on a shelf. I felt mentally restless and disempowered. I realized that I had to stop waiting and start despite my fears. How do you do that?

Shift your focus toward your goal.

Instead of denying your fears, play this little trick on them: purposefully direct your mind to taking action toward your goal. According to MIT neuroscientist Earl Miller, our brains cannot focus on more than one task at a time. This means that while you are actively taking steps toward your goal, you cannot also be consumed by fearful thoughts. Shift your focus to taking action. Your fear will get less of your attention as you progress toward your goal. You’ll feel better because instead of focusing on what’s holding you back, you start to feel good about the direction you’re moving toward.

Expand your comfort zone.

Each time you take action despite your fears, you diminish your fear of getting started and increase your confidence. The discomfort you once felt is replaced by joy, satisfaction and surprise because what you once were afraid of isn’t that scary anymore. Congratulations, you’ve expanded your comfort zone! Once you expand your comfort zone, it never shrinks back to where it was before. Now that’s worth celebrating!

So, ready or not, will you get started?

PS: Check out this YouTube video for Tips to Start Before Your Ready!

Image by Mona Benjamintz