We have a need for consistency in our life. This is what Prescott Lecky, a self-image psychologist believed. We act out of what we believe – our values. Most people are controlled by their fears, uncertainties and doubts – FUDS. We all have FUDS. However, how we let them affect us is a different matter altogether. General Patton was asked if he had fears. His response was a “Yes.” However, he stated, “I never take counsel of my fears.”
Perhaps you are stuck in a job you do not like. What is keeping you there? Or you are fearful of approaching a possible sales prospect. What stops you? Or you protect yourself from failure in all aspects of your life. Think about the remaining years of your life. Are FUDS going to control you until your death day? What a painful existence. What about choosing a life of belief. First, define what you really believe and want. If that is not intact, then FUDS will control you. There is no vision to latch on to in your life. There is nothing to anchor your decisions. Your fears, uncertainties and doubts will surely control you.
I love helping people move beyond their fears and into their beliefs. It is one of the most exciting things to witness – a fully alive human being. I hope your journey to live fully starts today.
I think it takes a cycle of several conscious decisions to move away from being controlled by FUD’s. There is always that temptation to spiral downward with them. A friend told me recently, “in my weariness, I lose sight of reality,” and I couldn’t agree more. When we are more tired, sick, or emotional, it is easier to fall prey to them.
But that is when it is most important to recenter ourselves on what is true and what we really believe about the present and future. In our own journey of building a company, there have been various trials, but it is amazing to finally see the tangible results of holding fast to a vision. It is possible to pursue something remarkable, unconventional, and against the grain. It is possible to build something with a strong foundation of values. As we start to see the fruit, the FUD’s have less and less power. They probably never will go away permanently, but it’s easier to recognize them for what they are worth – nothing.