OPINION - Tolulope Popoola: SCARY STUFF [via Accomplish Press ]

Whenever you are thinking of trying something new, you step out of your comfort zone. You step into the unknown, with all the exciting and intimidating possibilities.

And immediately, your mind tries to protect you from this strange new place. Your mind responds with fear. Your mind thinks - "Ah, we've never been here before. We've never done this before. It's scary! Let us retreat back into the safety of what we've always known."

Fear is a perfectly normal response to anything different, new or strange. It shows up in many ways - anxiety about changing your career, doubts about taking a risk, or feeling nervous about giving a speech for the first time. But far too many of us allow that fear to stop us, cripple us, or slow us down and prevent us from doing what we really want to do.

*Let's look at some of the fears that may have been holding you back:

You're afraid you have no talent.
You're afraid you'll be rejected or criticised, or ridiculed or misunderstood, or worst of all - ignored.
You're afraid there's no market for your creativity, and therefore no point in pursuing it.
You're afraid somebody else already did it better.
You're afraid everybody else already did it better.
You're afraid somebody will steal your ideas, so it's safer to keep them hidden forever in the dark.
You're afraid you won't be taken seriously.
You're afraid your dreams are embarrassing.
You're afraid your work isn't politically, emotionally, or artistically important enough to change anyone's life.
You're afraid that someday you'll look back on your creative endeavours as having been a giant waste of time, effort and money.
You're afraid you don't have the right kind of discipline.
You're afraid you don't have the right kind of training or degree.
You're afraid of upsetting your family with what you may reveal.
You're afraid of what your peers and coworkers will say if you express your truth aloud.
You're afraid your best work is behind you.
You're afraid you never had any best work to begin with.
You're afraid you neglected your creativity for so long that now you can never get it back.
You're afraid you're too old to start.
You're afraid you're too young to start.
You're afraid of being a one-hit wonder.
You're afraid of being a no-hit wonder...
And so on.

Do any of these fears sound familiar? Yes?

Even though they may seem valid, and they may feel very real, don't let your fears stop you from going forward and doing what you really want. You'll often find that, the fear never really goes away, but if you challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone, you'll look back one day and realise that taking action and going forward is always 100 times better than staying stuck in fear.


To your success,

Tolulope Popoola
Writing Coach and Publishing Consultant
Accomplish Press
www.accomplishpress.com

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