Anxiety and Fear
We’ve all had those moments of fear or anxiety. You’re sitting their waiting for an interview to begin, giving a presentation (like I did a few weeks back), or even going on a first date. I’m naturally prone to anxiety and I’ve been working on it for years.
I had a boss once who said worrying about what could happen was just “borrowing trouble”. The Happiness Advantage points out how focusing on error-proofing leads to fixation on failure instead of planning for success. As humans, we’re pretty terrible at assessing risk.
Fight Back
Of late, I spend a lot of time questioning myself with, what’s he worst that could happen? Take my presentation a few weeks back, sure, I was nervous, but if I let that stop me, what would happen? I’d probably hamper my career significantly. So I thought about what’s the worst that could happen? I’d probably get nervous, stammer and maybe have an ineffective presentation.
I’m a manager, below director-level, who stepped up to a challenge. If I didn’t do well, it’s a growth opportunity, but I’d be seen as someone who was up to try a new challenge and willing to pitch in. On the other hand, if I turned it down, I’d be seen as someone who limited themselves and wasn’t up to that sort of exposure. As is, the presentation went well and I received a lot of compliments from individuals throughout the organization.
Take Control
Ms. Frizzle from The Magic Schoolbus said it best, “It’s time to take chances. Make mistakes. Get messy!”
Image Credits: Luis Daniel Carbia Cabeza
