Did you know that 84% of people are affected by irrational fear? This is alarming! We live in a culture today where most people allow fear to control their lives. Now, I get it; I completely understand. I was once one of those 84% of people. I used to suffer from tremendous fear: fear of failure, fear of success, fear of commitment, you name it.

These fears compromised the quality of my life, causing me to suffer from massive panic attacks, excruciatingly painful headaches, and a poor sense of self-worth. However, I was able to overcome those debilitating fears. And now, I live a life of joy and peace. How did I do it? There were seven simple steps I took—keep reading to learn more.

1. Face it

You’ve got to face your fear head-on. Life is a process consisting of constantly hitting against the things that are holding you back. You can’t be called a conqueror without conquering; you can’t be an overcomer without having something to overcome. 

Eleanor Rosevelt said: “Fear is the most devastating emotion on earth. I fought it and conquered it by helping people who were worse off than I was.”

Anyone can conquer fear by doing the thing they’re afraid to do. So, you have to face it and look at it. You must look at and dig out the roots of your specific fear. You may have to ask yourself some tough questions, such as:

• Is it a family or generational fear?
• Is it a fear that stems from your upbringing?
• Is it a fear from society (the news, social media, etc.)?

A lot of your fears don’t even come from you! They were planted in you by someone like your parents, coworkers, the culture, etc. However, regardless of where they come from, you have to face it!

2. Fight it

Fear doesn’t just go away. 

You have to fight through it to break free from it. You have to have that warrior mindset and that sense of strength in you! I remember the first time I went skydiving. I was strapped to my tandem jump instructor, looking 15,000 ft below me from the plane. 

Now, I’m naturally afraid…

However, right at that moment, I knew that was the best place on earth for me to be: fighting through my fear. And besides, at that point, I no longer had a choice. Similar to you, you have to look your fear straight in the face and tell it who’s boss by fighting through it!

For some of us, we’ve allowed a defeated mindset to come. 

My heart goes out to those people because I’ve been there. But I have to tell you, breaking free from fear is not just about skydiving or giving a speech in front of a group of people. It’s about engaging the world, not as a victim but as someone in control.

3. Faith it

You have to replace fear with faith! 

Fear is nothing but faith inside out. It’s the opposite of faith; it’s the anticipation of evil or something terrible. Conversely, faith is the anticipation that something good is going to happen. Faith looks like courage and bravery when it’s lived out. 

Faith is an abstract concept for many of us. 

You may ask yourself how you can make it tangible. Here’s how: You put it into action! And when you put it into action, it looks like bravery, courage, and determination. These qualities are simply faith in action! 

Now, here’s the deal…

You’re going to be afraid. Faith does not mean a lack of fear. It means taking action and moving forward despite your fear. As a professional public speaker, I’ve been blessed to speak to crowds of 2 people to over 40 thousand on four continents and in over twenty countries. 

And people always ask: Aren’t you afraid when you stand on stage?

And I tell them every time, “Yes, I am.” Every. Single. Time. However, I don’t let my fear trap me. I acknowledge it when I feel it; I often even honour it. Now, at this point in my life, I’m happy to say that I beat the fear more often than I give in to it. 

But that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t show its ugly head from time to time. 

And sometimes, I admit that it still wins occasionally. However, I still do my best to adhere to the faith choice rather than the fear choice. 

And now that I’ve made the faith choice enough times, I have this new habit called faith! 

4. Fill it

People become what they think about.

That means you must fill yourself with positive and powerful words of encouragement. Where the mind goes, the man or woman follows. If this is the case (and it is), we should embrace positive thought. 

Here’s the deal…

You will, unfortunately, encounter people who don’t see you. They don’t see your potential, talent, heart, and passion. But that’s okay because the Universe will also send you people who do see you. 

And those are the ones you want to associate with. 

5. Follow it 

Follow your life call, regardless of fear!

And that will take faith; will you follow your vision or not? Overcoming and breaking free from fear happens as you follow your personal calling with all of your heart. Reasons and excuses only serve to hold you down. 

You won’t be happy with yourself if you end up on your deathbed, saying:

• I was too lazy
• I was too busy
• I was too distracted
• I was too career-oriented
• I didn’t have enough money
• I was too afraid

These are all excuses. Listen, you need to follow your dreams, heart, and passions.

6. Forsake it

Leave fear behind as you step out. 

At some point, you have to get out there. History is full of people who only conquered their fears and got results when they chose to step out and leave their timidities behind. Some of these examples include: 

• Abraham Lincoln with the Emancipation Proclamation
• Martin Luther King Jr with the civil rights
• Nelson Mandela breaking free of apartheid

These significant historical figures (and many others like them) had to find the courage to break free from fear to achieve their greatness. While your situation may not be as dire as theirs, you can bet the same principle still applies. 

7. Fear it 

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “What? You want me to break through fear by fearing it?”

Yup! I want you to fear living in fear more than fear itself. Here’s the deal: the fear of fear will get you to a place of strength again. Some don’t fear fear enough; we just give in to it. So, get rid of your fear by actually fearing it and what it can take away from you if you don’t get a handle on it. 

In Closing

Fear is a state of mind—nothing more, nothing less. As a result, it’s something you can manage if you want to. You don’t have to be a slave to your fears. With the proper guidance and mentorship, you can break free from fear and live a life of meaning and purpose. But you need support. This is not a process you want to go through on your own. 

At Certified Flourishing Coach, we are a team of expert coaches, mentors, and facilitators. Moreover, our evidence-based framework for personal and professional development can help you conquer any area of your life that you currently struggle with. 

So, if you’re ready to have your breakthrough and start flourishing, contact us today to learn more!

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