3 Powerful Techniques to Prevent Fear from Hijacking Your Plans

One of the biggest barriers to effective planning, decision-making, and acting on your goals is fear.

With the new year approaching, it’s natural to think ahead. As you plan for 2022, you’ll want to think not just about what you want to accomplish, but also about the obstacles in your way. One of the biggest barriers to effective planning, decision-making, and acting on your goals is fear.

Humans are evolutionarily programmed to be fearful—it’s how our ancient ancestors survived. The problem today is that we possess the same powerful survival instincts, but react to scenarios we create in our minds rather than to real, physical threats! This is why our choices (and subsequent actions) are often fueled by fear.

For example, by fearing the consequences of our actions, we avoid doing the things we know we should—like committing to a clear strategy, firing a toxic or low-performing employee, or listening to customers—and limit our potential as a result.

How do you know if fear is driving your decisions and commitments, and what can you do about it? We’ll begin our diagnosis with a look in the mirror.