Fear Factor

The word ‘Fear’ has become a cliché and seems an omnipresent factor in our everyday lives. Fear is the single biggest obstacle a person faces when trying to accomplish a task, when aspiring to achieve an unimaginable feat. Fear; is physically non-existent, yet emotionally, mentally and psychologically existent in the minds of humans.

Let’s be honest, we all exhibit fear at one point or the other in our lives. This however doesn’t mean fear cannot be dealt with. In many ways, it can be handled. I imagine the Israelites and the big challenge: Caught between the running away from the Egyptian army and facing the deep waters of the Red Sea and how they would have survived that enormous pressure if there was no Moses’s leadership.

In the midst of confusion, consternation, panic attacks, intimidation, DO NOT FEAR. Stand Strong, Keep mute and Move Forward! In hindsight, the core of the problems people have have been traced to fear. What then are the faces of fear that i have found out? They are as follows:-

1. Self-Sabotage: Self sabotage is caused by fear of rejection or failure. Fear drives us to make that wrong choice. Never take defeat as an option. Before you can fight that urge to self-destruct, you must acknowledge the source of the defeatist attitude which is Fear! Once fear is identified as a factor, you realize that other avenues for victory and success are available. (not suicide or defeat). You must fight that urge; i.e. the tendency to indulge in Self-Sabotage.

2. Fight: When we are fearful of a bully, a known adversary, or a common office enemy; fighting back is often a natural satisfying option. The thing is; it takes a lot of energy to fight. Resources are wasted and stretched. Fighting re-directs your focus, drags you in the wrong direction and negatively impacts your vision. Fear again; can produce the opposite of the desired result. When you face your bellicose neighbour or nettlesome departmental head, pick your fight very carefully. Try expending your energy on things that are productive and please note that fighting generates a backward motion. Most importantly; Stand firm against your internally driven emotion that urge you to fight.

Many times we are confronted with challenges and the only option we have is Retreating. Now, it doesn’t mean we are totally clueless or helpless in the first instance; what naturally comes to mind is to back-track or Retreat. Whenever we retreat, we make that challenge opposition/difficulty look exaggerated and bigger than it is.

I know we acknowledge fear and our weaknesses but fear causes us to want to return to the ‘familiar’ than face the challenge. Truth be told, retreating is even worse and portends greater hazard. In Biblical parlance, it is simply ‘Wanting to return to Egypt’. Fear prevents people from seeing the lucid lines of today, the positivity and potentials in the future.

Again, one thing is important: Always remember the strength you possessed at first which you applied to get away from the past. That strength to now charge forward with confidence is still there in you. Use it! Never let fear get hold of what God has in store for you. With the above, what should you do then?

1. Seek understanding of what is involved, get knowledge, and seek information.

2. Embrace the needed ingredient- Faith. Take calculated risks, make an educated decision as to which direction is Forward.

3. Be careful that you don’t move forward in blind faith.

4. Change your game, strategy, Try something new.

On a final note, fear causes inaction and makes a company CEO feel his comfort zone is the best place to be. This is what I term ‘corporate fear’. It hovers over many organizations and holds many businesses especially Start-ups; hostage.

Make a decision today to patiently face your battles and deal with them accordingly; albeit with wisdom. Once you do that, you would have scaled the first hurdle whilst making others easy for you to handle.

Image source: Google Images
By Temitope Olugbenga Ogunrinde