Fear Setting

 

     Here is a little tool I picked up from Tim Farris in his book Tools of Titians that I thought I would share with you. Anytime I run across a situation that makes me nervous and indecisive I use this formula which helps me define my anxieties and a plan of action to help deal with them.

     1) Write down what it is that is making you so anxious, including the worst-case seminar or if you were to do what your thinking of doing. Don't forget to include how likely your worst-case scenario is to actually happen.

     2) What would you have to do to get things back on track if the worst-case did happen.

     3) Write down the benefits to you of the worst-case scenario occurring, include the possibility of you being able to pull off even a moderate amount of success, including a scale from 1 to 10. 

     4) Imagine being fired from your job, what would you have to do to be secure financially. If you quit your job to follow a dream how could you get back to where you were financially.

     5) What are you putting off out of fear? Remember, what we fear the most is what we should most likely be doing. Define the worst case, accept it, and do it. A person's success in life is directly tied to how many uncomfortable conversations they are willing to have. Make a pact with yourself to do at least one thing a day that you fear.

     6) Write down what the cost to you is financially, emotionally, and physically for not taking or postponing action. If you don't pursue the things that excite you, where will you be in 1, 5, or 10 years. How will you feel knowing you allowed circumstances and the"likelihood" of perceived failures to dictate your actions.

     7) What exactly are you waiting for, if the answer is timing then the answer is more likely that you're afraid like most everyone else. Remember to measure the cost of not doing anything, realize the unlikelihood and repairability of most of the mistakes you may make, and go for it!