Do it Scared!

Fear can be crippling for most of us but it need not be.  

So how do you step up and move past the fear and go to those heights you aspire? It’s simple: do the things that others aren’t willing to do.

Whether you’re a leader, a team member, or a candidate, success comes from having the discipline to do the things that you know you should be doing, even when you don’t feel like doing them. When you practice this kind of self-discipline regularly, you’ll naturally stand out from the pack—because most people avoid the hard stuff. It’s just easier to put it off.

But the truth is that what feels easy now creates problems down the line. And what feels hard now—doing the stuff you don’t feel like—makes everything easier in the long-term. Self-discipline doesn’t have to be hard—you just have to change the way you think about it.

Successful people have mastered the art of self-discipline. I’ve spent the last 10 years studying and coaching some of the most successful people in business, figuring out what makes them different. They’re not smarter or more talented than the average person—they just consistently do what others aren’t willing to do by keeping three principles in mind:

Do it scared. 
Fear is one of the biggest saboteurs of our goals, because it inhibits action. The next time you feel yourself putting something off because you’re afraid—of uncertainty or failure—just “do it scared.”

I once heard a true story of a woman who was trapped in a burning building on the 80th floor. She was terrified of heights and enclosed spaces, and when the fire alarm went off, she refused to follow her colleagues into the stairwell to evacuate to safety.

The firemen did a sweep of the building and found her hiding under her desk, waiting to die. She was screaming “I’m scared, I’m scared!” as the firemen insisted she walk down the stairwell until one fireman said, “That’s OK, just do it scared.” He repeated it all the way down the 80 flights of stairs, until he brought her to safety.

We’ve all faced these moments in our careers—when you know what has to be done, but your fear holds you back. In order to stand out, you must develop the habit of acting in the face of fear. It’s fine to be scared—do it scared. It’s fine to be unsure—do it unsure. It’s fine to be uncomfortable—do it uncomfortable. Just do something.

This is the attitude of the most disciplined and successful people on the planet. They might be scared, but they do it anyway. And by just doing something, you create movement and momentum that will lead to progress and results.

Habits, not results.
Perfectionism is one of the most common reasons people procrastinate, and we’ve all done it at some point.

The best way to overcome this impulse is to put your self-esteem into stellar work habits instead of results. It can take a while to see the fruits of your labor—whether you’re spearheading a new initiative, trying to launch a business, or planning a second act career. To keep yourself motivated, take pride in sticking to your work habits, rather than looking for immediate results. In time, success will follow.

Remember the big picture.
The pursuit of any goal will inevitably face a number of obstacles. The difference between those who stand out in their careers and those who blend in lies in what you do when you reach these critical turning points. Do you hesitate and turn back? Or do you press forward? When you feel frustrated, depressed, or disappointed, don’t give up—just get some perspective.

I have a mental reminder that helps me push past these hurdles. I hold my pen up to my eye and stare directly down the barrel. Then, I pull it away and look at it in its entirety. It’s a quick way to remind myself to look at my life in the same way.

Stop fixating on the here and now, and think about the big picture. Today’s challenges may not make sense, but you must have faith that over the long term, they will be nothing more than blips on the radar screen. Having this perspective and faith will help you press forward at the moments when others turn back.

Contrary to popular belief, people who have reached the highest levels in their careers aren’t necessarily better educated, more talented or better connected. Neither are they simply more motivated or harder workers. Rather, successful people have realized that getting to the top means that they first have to do the things that they don’t want to do related to their goals.

It’s not about enjoying self-discipline—it’s about adopting a few new ways of thinking that simply make discipline easier to endure. And when you develop the habit of doing things that others won’t do, you’re putting yourself on the fast track to the route to the top.

Thanks to Drago Adams for his contribution to the content of this article.

Power of our Words and Vocabulary

One of my workshops I deliver is "The Language of Leadership" and a blog I just read today reminded me of the power of the words we use.  I encourage you to reflect on this question: How is your vocabulary?

Drago Adams has this to say when answering that question:

Sometimes the subtle difference in our attitude, which can make a major difference in our future, can be as simple as the language we use. It’s the difference in even how you talk to yourself or others. It’s consciously making a decision to quit saying what you don't want and to start saying what you do want. It’s faith—believing in the best, hoping for the best and moving toward the best.

Instead of saying, "What if somebody doesn't respond?" start saying, "What if they do respond?" Instead of saying, "What if someone says no?" say, "What if they say yes?" Instead of saying, "What if they start and quit?" say, "What if they start and stay?" Instead of saying, "What if it doesn't work out?" say, "What if it does work out?"

When you start thinking and saying what you really want, then your mind automatically shifts and pulls you in that direction. And sometimes it can be that simple—just a little twist in vocabulary that illustrates your attitude and philosophy.

Our language can also affect how others perform and behave around us. A teenager says to a parent, "I need $10." The parents say, "No comprende. That’s not how you get $10. That kind of language doesn't work here. But ‘How can I earn $10?’ might.”

There is plenty of money here. There is money for everybody—but you have to learn the magic words to get it. To get everything you could possibly want, you just have to learn the philosophy. How could you earn $10?

You can't go to the soil and say, "Give me a harvest." You know the soil smiles and says, "Who is this clown that brings me his need and brings me no seed?" And if you say to the soil, "I've got this seed and if I planted it, would you work while I sleep?" And the soil says, "No problem. Give me the seed. Go to sleep and I'll be working while you're sleeping." These simple principles are sometimes just a matter of language.

It is easy to stumble through almost a lifetime and not learn some of these simplicities. Then you have to put up with all the lack and all the challenges that don't work out simply from not reading the book, not listening to the lesson, not studying your language—not being willing to search so you can then find.

But here is the great news. You can start this process anytime. For me it was at age 25. At 25 I was broke. Six years later, I was a millionaire.

You might ask, "What kind of revolution, what kind of change, what kind of thinking, what kind of magic had to happen? Was it you?"

No.

Any person, any six years you go on an intensive, accelerated personal development curve, learning curve, application curve, you can learn the disciplines. Now, it might not take the same amount of time, but the same changes and the same rewards are available for those who pay that “six-year" price. And you might find that whether it's in the beginning to help get you started or in the middle to keep you on track, your language can have a great impact on your attitude, actions and results.

You can change your life if you really want to. You can improve it, make it better—and it only takes 6 steps. Are you ready

Drago