“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

- Nelson Mandela

Tony Robbins has given the world an amazing gift this week! He has spent the last four days sharing tools to thrive in the world today with his Become Unshakable Challenge! What was apparent was how much fear is in our ecosystem, some warranted external fears, and many internally driven ones that could be mitigated.

One doesn’t need to be an expert to understand the human psychology behind fear and see how fear can negatively impact our personal and professional lives.

Take a moment to think about what you’re afraid of. For me, fear sounds like, “Did I give the client value?” “Do they feel that what I did was impactful?” “What if I don’t surround myself with the right people?”

When we introduce fear into our minds it can make anything worse than what could actually be happening. Fear is a normal and natural response to new or challenging situations and of course, it's okay to feel fear. The key is not to let it control your actions.

As leaders, we may communicate our fears and think it will motivate people to work harder. What I have found is that spreading fear can actually have an adverse effect on our teams. Fear negatively impacts our ability to perform. It can cause us to feel anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed, which can lead to decreased productivity, difficulty focusing, and a lack of motivation.

So why would a leader want to do that? Fear is addictive and it wants company. When we communicate something it doesn’t feel so scary. And then it’s a cycle of talking about it round and round.

Some of these common fears at work include fear of failure, fear of rejection or criticism, and fear of change. This fear causes us to avoid taking risks, which ultimately limits our professional growth and prevents us from making valuable contributions to our team or organization.

Fear can lead us to feeling disengaged and disconnected from our colleagues. When we are constantly worried about how we are being perceived or judged, we may find it difficult to form meaningful connections with others. This can make it harder to collaborate effectively and can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

To conquer these fears, it can be helpful to take steps to address them. We can start by:

• Identifying the specific fear and its underlying cause

• Challenging negative thoughts or beliefs associated with the fear

• Practicing self-care, mindfulness and stress management techniques

• Getting curious and ask questions to find out if the fear is legitimate or a story in your mind

• Developing a plan of action to address the fear - build a positive mindset through new habits and practices

• Seeking support from colleagues or a therapist (be careful though if it’s a colleague that you’re approaching the fear by wanting a solution, not just get into the circle of fear)

• Taking small steps towards facing the fear, rather than trying to conquer it all at once

• Reflecting on past successes and remind yourself of your capabilities

Fear is a normal human emotion but we can overcome it with the right approach and mindset. By recognizing the ways in which fear is holding us back and taking steps to address it, we can improve our performance at work and lead more fulfilling professional lives.