It has been said that a mouse only has two thoughts: Avoid cats and get cheese. I do not really know if that is true since I have never studied mice. It sounds about right, so I will go with it. Getting cheese is an important thing to a mouse. If the mouse operated under the fear of the cat only though, he would never get any cheese. He would not leave his home. He would starve to death. He realizes however, that in order to obtain the cheese he so rightly desires, he has to shift out of the fear mindset.
The way I see it there are three basic ways to stop operating under fear. Only after you have shifted out of the fear gear can you pursue your goals.
- Acknowledge that the fear is real. We all have fears. I do not always like to admit it, especially around my wife or kids, but it is true. If you ignore the fear or act like it does not exist, you will likely be paralyzed by it.
- Realize that fear is not the best way. Fear can be a motivating factor in getting started. It can motivate you to move forward. The problem is that fear only motivates you to survive. If it does not change forms into something more motivating, you will likely not take the leap forward to success. Do not get stuck in survival mode.
- Change the way you think. It is not always easy to change your thinking, but it is necessary for success. We spend a good deal of our lives being limited. We are constantly being told that we can not do something. Through all of this, it is important to stay positive. I am often tempted to say things over and over to myself like, “I will not operate under fear.” While that does not seem all that bad, it is not all that good. It would be the same as saying, “Don’t think of a pink elephant wearing giant glasses.” What are you thinking of? Did the picture in your mind resemble the picture above? I bet it did. Instead, I think the saying should be, “I am going to operate out of abundance.”
What do you fear? How can you change your thinking and speech to avoid operating under fear?