Have you ever been scared of slippery dips?

How about those roundabouts that seem to go waaaay too fast? Even as kids, we can get so excited about going to the park, only to arrive and be too freaking scared to get on the slippery dip and go for it.

The same can be said for our own lives.

We work hard to accomplish our goals, but halfway there, or sometimes at the 99th step out of a 100, we freeze. It may even happen early on after we have started out on something that we begin to entertain doubts about whether we are really on the right track, and for many of us, we abandon the project.

Even after all the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that have gone into it. It seems crazy doesn’t it?

I am currently moving into a big phase with my business. It’s a project I have been working on for years and all the moving parts are starting to come together, piece by piece.

I am ready to launch, but I feel the fear and the nerves starting to creep in.

Photo courtesy of RevStreet.com

Doubt is normal

When doubt strikes, there is really only one thing you need to do, let go. Yep, put your hands in the air, jump on that slide and just go!

There will be doubts.

However, if you keep on entertaining those doubts…. As in, you invite them in for coffee, those suckers will stay! Finishing things is like a muscle, the more you finish the more you finish!

Maybe it’s time to change your mindset toward your goals and step out of the non-finishing space into a space of “let’s do this” and “it’s time”.

Check out this clip from Volkswagon about changing the pattern of your life and stepping into a space of enjoyment and abandonment.

Don’t give up

There are plenty of real life examples where people found themselves at the point where they could keep going or give up.

For example, did you know that Thomas Edison failed 10,000+ times before he finally succeeded in inventing the light bulb? It would have been easy for him to quit after a few or even few hundred attempts. However, he kept going, and the world is a much better place today because of him.

How about Colonel Sanders? He was rejected by 1,009 restaurants that he pitched his Kentucky Fried Chicken idea to.

Change your mindset

A few years ago, I heard Todd Samson speak at a Business Chicks event. I have admired him for many years but this talk set him apart in my mind. The biggest takeaway he shared is to hold on for “5 minutes more”.

If you are in the toughest part of your day or perhaps you are at the tail end of your project. No matter where you are when you feel as though you want to give up, hold on for just 5 minutes more. That 5 minutes enables you to take stock of where you are at right now and rise above the challenge to step into a space of can do, rather than cannot.

It’s all about taking the next step toward your goals. You might even fail, but you might succeed to! Wouldn’t it be good to actually find out the answer?

Just know that there will always be obstacles that appear in your path. But the interesting thing is that often it’s not about the hurdle, it’s about the fear.

“It always seems impossible until it is done” -Nelson Mandela                                                                                      

Perspective

They who persevered are what they are today because they decided to take the plunge. Walt Disney, a cartoonist, was fired from his job because he didn’t have any creativity or imagination, according to his editor. He continued to draw cartoons and eventually

and is now known the world over as the creator of Mickey Mouse.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts” – Winston Churchill     

The moment you’re in fear

When you’re at the top of the slide, you have 2 choices….

1. You can climb back down the ladder walk away and wonder what if
2. Or you could take the plunge push off and start sliding down. On the way down your stomach can turn, your palms might get sweaty, you might even feel like throwing up, but then things get fun and you may actually begin to enjoy it. And then you get to the bottom and the sense of achievement that comes with it. The excitement may even send you up the ladder to do it all over again.

Chances are you will feel amazing. Is it time to put the fear factor behind you and just go for it?

Remember that you have the right to step away, but it might just be worth pushing off….

I would love to hear your challenges and how you push through.