Fear once had a very basic purpose-it ensured our survival as human beings. This intense, natural instinct is rarely necessary in our modern society today. Though you might feel panicked when you are running late or doing something for the first time, these situations can’t compare to what a cave-man must have felt when a saber tooth was about to eat him for lunch.

Fear is All About Imagination

We are incredibly creative, and have an outstanding ability to create fantastic scenarios in our minds. Our thoughts are so powerful that they can produce measurable physical responses within our body, even when there is no real danger.

When it comes to the pursuit of goals and dreams, fear is often present. Our mind is constantly chattering, playing the “what if” game, and creating negative images that can interfere with our success.

You can use this “what if” scenario to your advantage to help overcome fear. To illustrate this, consider one of your goals that causes you stress. For example, you might need to give a presentation to a group of your peers next week. Nothing like a little public speaking to stir up the butterflies in you stomach!

For 2 minutes – jot down all the positive outcomes about giving the presentation and reasons why you will be successful. Don’t edit, just write, and let your imagination run wild. There is something extremely powerful about writing things down. It removes the swirl from your brain. You get to organize your thoughts (which your brain loves to do) AND you get to see them in a tangible form. Your list will probably contain multiple entries, possibly a dozen or more.

If you are having trouble coming up with reasons you will succeed, partner up with someone and ask for input. Many times an impartial observer can see your forest much clearer than you can when you are stuck in the trees.

Review each item on your list, taking a deep breath after each one. Practice being relaxed with your breathing. Take full, deep breaths that reach the bottom of your lungs and expand your belly. Exhale completely after each breath and imagine the stress leaving your body.

Finally, as you review each point and take a refreshing, deep breath:

Visualize achieving or experiencing each of the positive outcomes you wrote down. Spend a moment daydreaming and experiencing your success in your mind’s eye. Our imagination is the most potent tool for creating our life experiences. Much of who we are is a product of what was first created in our minds. When you picture something and spend time formulating a clear image, you are imprinting that image onto an internal “film” that guides us. The actions we take after formulating our “film” are largely automatic, in support of that program.

The best way to overcome fear is to replace negative images with positive ones. Harness the power of your imagination, and use it to create positive images that support success. Every time you experience a twinge of fear, immediately think about one or more of the positive images you have created. See yourself conquering your fears, and celebrating victory instead.

With practice, an amazing transformation will begin taking place; you will become stronger, and experience greater clarity and conviction each time you feel fear. The real magic is that fear itself will diminish a little faster each time.

It all starts in your mind’s eye. You have the ability to change your mind’s channel at any time. Just do it.

Be Free!

Ken Budka
Speaker