You were born to lead, but in the process of adjusting to the complexities of the world, you are sometimes so occupied with satisfying basic needs that you can give little thought, time or attention to self-fulfillment and development of your personal leadership skills. Habits developed in this context become demotivators. The most common demotivator is fear.
Overcome Your Fears
If your needs are not being satisfied – or if you think they may not be satisfied – fear takes over and blots out creativity. You react to your perception of a situation, rather than to the actual situation.
Fear is a natural and constructive mechanism that calls for personal leadership. Any physical or psychological threat sets off a system that is called “fear.” When the alarm goes off, your body undergoes instant change. Fear jerks both mind and body awake so that your body is prepared and ready to act! Fear is a natural and constructive force in self-preservation.
Courage is one response to fear. So is caution, aggression, or retreat. Although fear is a positive and constructive way of meeting threats to both physical and psychological dangers, it can become a demotivator.
- Fear is exhausting. The adrenaline, the muscle tension and concentrated mental energy required to overcome fear and take action are demanding. You may lose your sense of goal direction because your mental and physical resources must be diverted to deal with fear itself. If it prevents you from being yourself for extended periods of time, fear is destructive.
- Fear can become a conditioned response. Fear is negative when it becomes a conditioned response unrelated to a real threat. If you experience fear based only on what other people might say, think or do, your fears are artificially created and destructive. Although they may have no basis in fact, such fears cause anxiety, distrust, concern or even panic.
- Fear can become generalized. Fear becomes a deadly demotivator when it becomes a general method of responding to life regardless of whether a threat exists in the environment. It saps your strength and your potential for growth is neglected. Fear, when it becomes habitual, is overcome in the same manner as other habits. You learn to recognize it, find a more satisfying response, and replace the fear by substitution.
Recognizing and facing your fears head-on is important. Do not let fear keep you from becoming the great leader you are meant to be.
© Leadership Management® International, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Published by On Track Leadership, Inc. with permission.