So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. – Franklin D. Roosevelt – Inaugural Address 1933.

Fear can be paralyzing. It can also be useful. All of us have fear. Some fear is rational. Some is better know as anxiety (a fear of potential tragedy or harm). What you choose to do with your fear could mean the difference between life and death, or success or failure.

Some things scare me. Heights are one. I don’t mind flying and I do it almost every week, but standing outside on a high balcony or a bridge makes my knees weak. Even though my rational brain says I won’t fall, it’s the thought of it that scares me. Because of it, I can’t fully enjoy a beautiful view. It’s irrational and as a result I enjoy life just a little bit less.

A real fear and one that’s on my mind each day is irrelevance. I know one day I will cease being relevant in my field. It started the day I saw an aged Zig Ziglar speaking and I vowed that would never be me. This is a fear that I think is important. It’s one professional fighters would benefit from. At some point people will admire your longevity (“wow, that’s amazing that he still can speak in front of an audience at his age”) but not your significance (“that’s great he is still doing workshops, but he’s too dated to be taken seriously”).

So what should we do about fear? I suggest four steps:

1. Face it. Make a list of everything that scares you. Brainstorm hard and don’t hold back. Your list may include things like plane crashes, terrorist attacks, fire, clowns, public speaking, aging, poor health, etc.
2. Sort out the list into two categories: Legitimate Fear and Anxiety. Your Legitimate Fear list should contain fears that are actual and that you can take steps to prevent and combat. This would include things such as illness, or in my case, irrelevance. Your Anxiety list should contain those fears that involve potential threat, This would be items such as plane crashes and public speaking. It’s what Roosevelt referenced in his famous quote. Not sure where clowns would fit in.
3. Develop a Strategy to Combat Legitimate Fear. If you fear illness, take steps to live a healthier life. In my case, becoming irrelevant in my field is real. I’ve wrestled with it and have a strategy in place to deal with it. On a regular basis I’m working to develop new ideas and content. To come up with creative and innovative tools and putting together systems that are unique to me. I’ve also committed to actively working in my business until the age of 60. Then I’ll sell it, fold it, or just run it from a distance. I’ll never be that guy in a workshop who people courteously pay attention to but secretly feel sorry for.
4. Develop a Strategy to Combat Anxiety. Look at your list of anxieties. Are they REALLY legitimate things to fear? Is their presence damaging your career or reputation? I once worked with a guy was naturally paranoid. When 9-11 hit back in 2001, he went into anxiety overdrive. His fear drove him to take Amtrak from DC to Tucson, Arizona for our Annual Conference because he refused to fly. We arrived in 4 hours. It took him 5 days. Eventually his fear impacted his work and he moved on.

This week, make a commitment to address fear. It could be what stands between your current state and the ideal state you were always meant to attain.