August 8, 2014 by Jeff Hurt
If you’re an association executive or conference organizer, you know where you stand within your organization.
Deep down, you desire to be and do more.
No, your drive is not greed in disguise. Nor is your drive selfish in nature. It’s actually a noble drive as you want to make a difference. Your drive is rooted in the desire to do something significant, help others and be a positive influence on others.
Too many leaders step back from real triumphs. We become frustrated because we wanted to do so much more than we currently are accomplishing. We become satisfied with status-quo.
What’s keeping us from doing something significant?
Fear!
When we allow fear to take control, it can kill our dreams. Zap our enthusiasm. And crush our visions.
Yet leaders who accomplish great things are afraid too. The people who make a positive impact push through their fears.
Fear is a natural companion of true leadership. It’s natural to think that people who are making a difference don’t experience fear. But they do!
Here are five fears we need to push through, sometimes on a daily basis.
We all fear that people will reject us. We have to remind ourselves that fear of rejection is normal…and is a lie!
The easiest way to ensure that you do not experience rejection is to not take any risks. But that will stifle your creativity.
Instead, embrace risk-taking. And know that the more you take risks, the more people will want to be around you.
Criticism hurts. Even constructive criticism can hurt if we let it.
Every time you take a risk, you open yourself up to criticism. And believe me, the criticism will come.
When we approach everything with an open mind and life-long learning attitude, we can view criticism for what it is…a learning moment. Frequently, criticism aimed at people doing amazing things comes from people who are doing nothing. Remember that!
View criticism as an opportunity to learn and grow.
If you wait for the perfect opportunity and perfect conditions to align, you will never act. If you’re waiting for the perfect time to do something unique, it will never happen.
So act now!
Fear disguises itself as perfectionism.
True, your program may not be perfect. Your budget not the best. Your team not the greatest.
So what! Do it anyway!
Resources never precede vision and action. They follow it.
Too many of us don’t try new things because we fear we are not the expert. We convince ourselves that we do not know enough to do something awesome.
Dump that fear now. You probably have enough information to act. And if not, you can learn as you implement.
Don’t give in to the fear of not knowing enough.
“But what happens if we start down this road and everything fails? What happens to me and my job if it goes terribly wrong?”
We’ve all thought those words!
So what’s the worst that could happen? If it does go incredibly wrong, kill it fast. Learn from it and move on.
The biggest failure is not acting at all. Chances are it didn’t go as bad as you thought anyway.
Hat Tips to author Carey Nieuwhof, Leading Change Without Losing It.
What fears keep you from accomplishing great things? Why do so many of us despise small beginnings which can lead to great things?
Filed Under: Experience Design
Has the fear of success been considered ? If one succeeds, there is the fear, individually, of being asked to do more & ” more, better”. Organizationally, it’s how am I going to exceed their expectations again.”
Does angst about trying come from experience (criticism for perceived “failure” or success)?
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