Mindset to Success: Chase the Things That Scare You

If you’ve ever had a dream, then you know how freaking scary it is to want something so badly it paralyzes you. Well, I’m here to tell you, don’t give in to that fear. Instead, chase the things that scare you.

The best things in life come from that which scares you.

I can’t do this. Am I crazy? This will never work out.

These are the thoughts that pop in my head every time I’m about to do something new that has the potential to change my life.

When I quit the corporate world, I was scared shitless. How was I going to survive? Could I really build a business online? What would people say when they found out what I was doing?

It’s normal to feel fear when we start something new. Haven’t you ever felt this way?

Ever felt so scared you’re not brave enough or smart enough? Scared you’re not good enough, experienced enough, or talented enough to be doing this thing you want to do?

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If you’re scared, you’re doing something right

If there’s something you want, but it scares you— know that you are on the right path. There’s a saying that summarizes a speech Eleanor Roosevelt said once and it goes like this: “Do something that scares you every day.” She wasn’t talking about watching horror movies or jumping off cliffs (unless that’s the stuff that lights you up). She was talking about getting out of your comfort zone.

And that’s scary.

Humans weren’t wired to leave our comfort zones. Think about it, back in the caveman days, if you left the comfort of your cave or took a different path through the jungle, it could mean death. Our bodies were trained to stay within what we know. In fact, a study by Duke University revealed that we are 47% habitual creatures. We don’t like to experiment or try something new.

But this ain’t caveman times anymore.

We live in a wonderful world of innovation and change. We are living in a time where you can achieve literally anything you could imagine, as long as you’re able to overcome the fear that’s trying to stop you.

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Chase the things that scare you and you will open up a world of opportunities

Think of something you did in the past that you were scared to do, but you did it anyway.

Maybe you wanted to try out for the school play but were terrified to audition. Perhaps you had to give a presentation at work and were terrified to talk in front of your colleagues. Maybe you wanted to travel but were scared to get on the plane.

Most people have an experience of something they wanted to do, or had to do, but they were scared. What happened when you did the thing, despite the fear? How did you feel?

Science shows that exposure to the things that scare us helps us conquer that which we fear. After you’ve done something you were afraid of, you’re more likely to be less afraid to do it again. You’re going to move on to bigger and better things that scared you even more before.

When you do the things that scare you, a whole world of opportunities begins to open up.

Expose Yourself

Ride that roller coaster

I remember when I was seven, I waited in line for two hours with my family to ride Space Mountain. We were almost at the loading zone when I saw a warning sign that the ride was classified as a roller coaster. I was terrified. I’d never been on a roller coaster before and I was not about to change that. I screamed and cried to get out of line, and my mom took me through one of the emergency exit doors and back out into Tomorrow Land.

We rode the Matterhorn instead, which, unbeknownst to me, is also classified as a roller coaster. I didn’t see any scary warning signs, so I didn’t psych myself out. I had a blast. And the Matterhorn became my favorite ride for years.

On our next trip to Disneyland, I put on my brave girl pants and I rode Space Mountain. And, of course, I loved it, too. With more exposure, I was able to ride bigger and scarier coasters, eventually able to get myself to board California Screamin’ (now known as the Incredicoaster). Now, I can ride any coaster an amusement park throws at me, and I squeal with joyful thrill every time.

Start that business

I was terrified to start an online business. But I knew the internet was where it’s at if I wanted time and financial freedom and wanted to help others on a big scale. I needed something with automation that could reach a large number of people. Social media was the key, and I had no idea what I was doing.

The first time I ever went live on my business page, I was so scared I blacked out. But, with time and practice, I eventually got to a point where I could go live, no sweat. I can also record videos, post pictures of my adventures, share stories, etc. All these things I used to be so scared of are now a normal occurrence.

I’ve moved on to bigger and scarier things, like starting a blog and moving to New York City. And guess what, I was terrified for both. But I knew the fear wasn’t going to stop me from living out my dreams.

Once you accomplish this thing you’re paralyzed to do, it will take something even greater in the future to scare you.

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Never let the fear of failure stop you from tapping into your greatness

Maybe you’re scared of failure. Maybe you’re scared to let yourself down. Or let your parents down. Or a friend down.

Stop thinking that way.

Successful people don’t look at failure the same way as the collective does. Instead, they see failure as data. All failure is information to help you succeed better in the future. In fact, failure will help you reach success. I wrote a whole blog about this and you can read it here.

So, chase the things that scare you and you will live a wonderful life

Nothing good has ever come from someone staying in their comfort zone. If you want to experience new things, you have to do the things you’ve never done before. It is normal to feel fear, but the people who live the best lives are the ones who feel the fear and do the thing they want to do anyway.

So live your life. Never let fear stop you from going after your dreams. Always remember, you are a badass and you totally got this.

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Resources To Help You Chase The Things That Scare You

I get it. It’s scary to leave your comfort zone, that’s why they call it a comfort zone. But leaving that safety net is a necessary part of life if you want to achieve your dreams. Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone. In my experience, I’ve found books to be great coaches in helping me gain the confidence to go after my goals. Here are a few that I recommend for your journey to success.

You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero