Fear. Some call it the great motivator while for others it’s paralyzing and petrifying. How can you tackle your fear and not let it hold you back?
Today I’m going to tell you a story of how I stood in the face of a fearful situation and survived. If I can do it then you can do it too. Tackling your fear and not letting it highjack you is one of the biggest steps one can take towards success and that’s what I’m going to talk to you about.
Our story starts like any other day. I woke up and decided to go for a trail run. “Nothing like a good run to refresh my body and get clarity” I thought.
I was in for much more than I expected. What started as any other normal trail run was about to get a whole lot wilder. My run suddenly became a lesson that I’d remember all my life.
I crossed four creeks crossings where the water was up passed my knees! I thought that was the highlight of my day! I was on my way back to my car when I saw it. Right there in front of me. One of my biggest fears. A mountain lion in the middle of the trial that I was just about to head onto to get back to my car. I could see only it’s massive tail but their was no denying what I saw. One wrong move and it could be my last. In that moment fear took hold of my body. My instincts told me to just turn away and run but I knew better and, in that moment, I came up with a plan.
A plan that could save my life. Luckily I had a plan that would help me defeat my fear and do what was necessary. In that moment what I had to do became clear to me because I already had a plan in the back of my mind. I had done some research on Cougars and what to do in the rare event that I would ever come across one while I was running on the trials.
I realized if I turned and started running the mountain lion who may not have seen me would be alerted. They would’ve also saw me as pray because I was running…. after that I could have been toast!
With all possibilities accounted for I started backing away slowly. I was careful not to make any noise so that the animal wouldn’t be alerted. I also knew to get myself mentally prepared to fight. I grabbed some rocks incase I needed to throw them to scare the Cougar away. I also knew to not show fear, to raise my arms and make myself look bigger. Before the battle of the fist comes the battle of the mind. I first had to calm myself down and remember all I have learned about what to do in this situation. If I could somehow make the cougar think I was too big of an enemy to attack I could potentially save myself if it decided to attack.
My plan worked and I backed away slowly and saved myself. I looked this potentially deathly situation right in the eye (well at the tail to be exact) and said “ Not today!”
If I had let fear highjack me and just run away like my instincts told me too, I may not be here today. Overcoming my fear is what could have saved my life and it could have made the very difference between life and death.
A plan is all that you need to tackle your fear. Knowledge is power. Knowing what to do in the heat of the moment is what can help you set yourself up for success. It can also help you find your courage. Stepping up instead of being confused and held back by fear is what will help you succeed.
It’s important to have the right tools to execute your plan. It’s like having an emergency kit just incase you ever need it. When faced by a difficult situation, giving into fear is the worst thing you can do. Instead stop and think to yourself. What is the best course of action? What are the steps you need to follow and the tools you need to assemble to best face the situation? And lastly but most importantly always have a back up plan. A safety net to fall back into. A plan B to follow in case plan A doesn’t work out.
With proper planning you will be prepared for anything and someone that is prepared for anything is unstoppable. Be Prepared, Be Unstoppable!