[CARE]ER
a Ex-Perpetual tinator
My fear is illogical. Leaving the most daunting task on my to-do list for later didn't somehow make it easier (or just make it disappear as I so desperately hoped). It just caused me an absorbent amount of anxiety - more than if I had just tackled the problem head on. I was only making my situation worse. I may have been able to get by with A's in college on papers by waiting until the last minute, but that wasn't going to work in the real world. If anything, it was just going to get me fired. I knew I had to change this habit, so I embraced a mantra that I still repeat anytime I feel myself hesitating or even thinking about procrastinating until later - Just get started. Stop over thinking it. Stop questioning your instincts. Stop doubting yourself. Just take the first step, and you'll figure it out from there! Whether it's a goal you've been postponing to tackle or a personal situation you've been avoiding, don't run away from doing because of fear. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of embarrassment. Fear of being wrong. Fear of messing up. Rid your mind of this uncertainty and these insecurities. Face the situation head on. If you don't, you'll just regret it later because in the famous words of Ben Franklin, "You may delay, but time will not." The world doesn't run on your clock. It could care less about you, your fears and your apprehension. You may be paralyzed by your fear, but time keeps on ticking. One day, you'll wake up and realize that time has run out and it's too late, or that you've been left so far behind that it'll take you twice or three times as much work to achieve your goals.
2 1... Don't put yourself in this situation. You're better than that.
Make it a habit to do what scares you the most first. Immerse yourself in the situation and take control. Create a plan to take it one step at a time, and you'll be surprised at how much easier reaching your goal becomes. Practice facing your most daunting challenges, taking on your riskiest goals, and finishing what causes you the most anxiety. Soon, you'll stop hesitating. You'll naturally start being comfortable with an uncomfortable situation, and you'll thank yourself later because success is not determined solely by intelligence, talent, or skill. Success is achieved by those who have the courage to try, follow through, and just keep at it. As for me, I've noticed a huge difference in my work performance, efficiency and satisfaction since I've adopted this philosophy. It's made me truly realize that as Dale Carnegie said, "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."
By Sana Mohammed
layaliwebzine.com
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