It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your interests are – we are all afraid of something. Fear does not discriminate, it affects us all at least once in our lives and it can strike us when we least expect it. Unfortunately fear can sometimes jeopardise our ability to carry out our leadership roles as effectively as we can and that is when we need to find our inner strength and courage to release it.

It is possible to minimise fear so its stronghold on our lives can loosen a little. Here are some ways to help.

Acknowledge your fear

Pretending you fear does not exist will win you no favours. If you can’t acknowledge the presence of fear then how can you possibly claim to win it over? Sometimes pretending that it isn’t an issue can actually exacerbate the fear and even make it stronger. You need to stand tall and be ready to face it head on when the time is right. So what are you afraid of?

Understand your fear

Like a tree, your fear is generally rooted in a particular area. Once you know what you are afraid of, then take a moment to try to understand where this fear stems from. Tim Ferris said, “What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.” Think about your fear and determine whether this is true for you.

Share you fear

Sharing your fear with others can do many things. Firstly it enables you to draw strength from your colleagues to help you overcome fear. Secondly they can encourage you to find ways to remove the fear which is trying to take over a situation. Thirdly, there is safety in numbers. Fear doesn’t seem quite as rational when you are surrounded by strong, positive individuals vying for success.

Recognise your successes

Unless your fear has materialised due to a recent incident, you can probably assume that your fear has been with you for quite a while. And in that time we can probably also assume that you have managed to write a success story or two of your own. By recognising that your fear does not stop you from being the best you can be sure you are essentially cutting it off at the knees.

Accept yourself for who you are

We are all different but sometimes we can’t help comparing ourselves to others. When we don’t meet up to our own inner expectations, fear can find a way to creep in. Forget all that! We are not all created equal – some people will be naturally talented at a particular thing while another person will find enjoyment or reward elsewhere. Accept yourself as you truly are without apology or compromise.

Take small steps away from your fear

Now is the time to implement changes in your life so that fear does not have a place to thrive. Small steps even baby steps are a great place to start. Seth Godin once said, “Passion can overcome fear – the fear of losing, of failing, of being traditional” and I really like the sound of that. If all else fails, be passionate in your endeavours and focus on the important tasks at hand. It won’t even stand a chance.

Do you think you have the correct tools in your armoury to tackle fear once and for all? I believe in you – now it’s your turn to take that belief and make it work for you.