Fear…

Fear. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Yes fear of success. That is that feeling where we think we may not be worthy or may not be ready so we freeze. We freeze and don’t take the steps we need to take to succeed. If you start to feel this feeling you can’t let it win. Letting fear win will keep you right where you’re in life. It may even send you back. Fear will keep you from taking that job or asking out that person or even keep you from taking advantage of an opportunity that will lead to success beyond your wildest dreams. We have now named the enemy. We know how it looks and how it shows up. Now don’t let it win.

Funny story… that first part up there was written months ago. I can’t tell if I never finished it or if it was supposed to turn into the script for a short video… Any way I’m going to elaborate on it and give some real life examples so that it doesn’t seem like I am talking without living.

There really is no bigger example than the work I did with the Super Bowl. I had taken photos at an event for the African American Leadership Forum and one of the guest speakers was none other than Alex Tittle. Alex is the Vice President of Business Connect and Corporate Affairs with the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee. I had the opportunity to talk to him and exchange cards and after that I did absolutely nothing. I came up with every reason, excuse or argument in the book for why I shouldn’t contact Alex. Some of them even started to make a lot of sense. But did it really make sense? Working the Super Bowl events is potentially a once in a lifetime opportunity and I was ready to not even SHOOT MY SHOT! I saw it. I recognized it. And I called it out by name. It was fear… Fear of rejection, fear of failure. Fear of not being able to handle whatever was thrown at me. I wish I could tell you there was a magic formula for defeating fear. The best tactic I’ve come by is taking it on head on and not quitting until you have accomplished your goal.

Oh yeah and about the Super Bowl. I ended  up covering all of events for the Host Committee and a couple NFL events not to mention I was given the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl two years in a row all because I did not let FEAR win.