From Fear to Courage: Be Afraid and Do it Anyway

from fear to courage | be afraid and do it anyway | compoundingjoy.

Mark Twain said, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”

 

Being scattered and not able to focus on one project at a time is a common problem. Often this is a result of our fear.  We are afraid of failing, we are afraid of not doing what we are supposed to be doing. I believe that's why we all love productivity tips, hacks, tricks – anything to organize our messes and thoughts so that our lives are a transparent canvas on which we can paint our successes. When you have a lot of things you love to do, it’s hard to decide where to start. And for many of us (definitely me), it becomes impossible to start. So we rewatch a series on Netflix, or we do laundry, or we cook, or we clean up. When we are unable to have the courage to commit to one thing only, or when we are unable to have the courage to commit to moving forward in the life we know we are meant to live, we are pretty much assuring ourselves that it won’t get the attention it deserves – which means what? Failure?

Artists, writers, creatives – HAVE to have the courage to do what they do every day. Jennie Moraitis, in “Be brave: Creative Courage for the Artist” says artists filled with fear are people “wavering on the edge of a creative cliff and are nervous to make the leap.” Creative courage will never come if you let your fear hold you back. Using fear to make us productive helps us be brave. Courage is when you have self-doubt, and fear and you show up anyway. What exactly are we afraid of? Failure? And if we fail, what does that mean? That someone gets to say “I told you so?” To have the “perfect job” the “perfect” marriage, the “perfect” amount of money – “perfect” in this way is often for how everyone ELSE thinks you should live, and at the same time not giving yourself a chance to try to live your dream.

 

So? Move forward or stay put?

Remember, everything is impermanent. Life is impermanent.

 

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.”

 

What do people think and why or why not? Do you have the courage to leap for your dreams? Brene Brown says, “What’s the greater risk? Letting go of what people think – or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?“ She has also said, “Do not think you can be brave with your life and your work and not disappoint anyone. It doesn’t work that way.” The unknown is scary. Doubting yourself is the fear of going into the unknown. The only way through that is with courage. Courage isn’t the absence of fear! Being afraid doesn’t mean you aren’t strong. Courage means that you are overcoming that fear and moving forward.

 

Don’t procrastinate! Be brave and try something you haven’t tried before.

 

In an ArtofWellBeing article – they discussed how courage is what fuels all the other virtues: “cool stuff like passion, humility, honorability, integrity, truth, confidence, strength, and compassion.” Being afraid is part of being alive and part of being human. To have the courage, we need to step out of our comfort zone (remember, our bodies are protecting us by making us afraid.) In #90 of Steph Crowder's Podcast  it was said, “Don’t be afraid to take up space.” If we are so used to bending and becoming and shaping ourselves into who everyone wants us to be, especially at work – we work to become who our bosses, owners, co-workers wish to us to be – But at what point do you say, HEY! I want my OWN shape!

 

Fear of making mistakes. Fear of taking chances with our work. Fear of making the wrong decision. Fear of being criticized. Fear of what others will think. When we continue with these fears – and don’t create the courage to move through it – this fear becomes a huge part of ourselves and paralyzes productivity until you recognize what it is. Fear completely sabotages our productivity. (Fear causes anxiety!) Fear of failure and perfectionism paralyze people (um, me) and prevents them from starting or completing what they know they should or could be doing. Figure out what went wrong, what you are afraid will go wrong, understand you will never be perfect, and move forward. Courage is the ULTIMATE productivity hack! And then when you get productive, it means you will have more courage to find success in whatever it is you wish to do. (Which came first? The chicken or the egg? RIGHT?)

 

Brene Brown says, “Have the courage to be imperfect.”

 

I don’t know where the brilliant sentence, “Attract what you want by being what you want” originated. We need the courage to become more of OURSELVES in life. It’s scary being yourself! Keep working toward your visions, whether you are supported outside of yourself or not. HONOR who you are and what you want. Be grateful and choose to be happy.

 

Let go of “But I’m supposed to.”

Let go of “But wait…”

 

Use your courage to follow your dreams.

 

Be deliberate. Get inspired. Do it!

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Create Achievable Goals This Year

Compounding Joy | create achievable goals | printable | worksheets

 

 

CREATE ACHIEVABLE GOALS

We’ve all heard it.  “Set goals. Reach for the stars!  You can do anything you set your mind to!”  If you are anything like me, these comments and suggestions can be extremely overwhelming when trying to create achievable goals for myself. In this article, we will discuss how it’s more productive to commit to the process of getting to your goal, as opposed to committing to reaching the goal.  If you make a realistic, achievable schedule, turning your goals into bite-size pieces – you are waaaaaay more likely to reach your goals.   (And then? You CAN do anything you set your mind to!)   Please feel free to print out the free goal setting worksheets I have created for you!  Click here.   This post may contain affiliate links. You can read more on the disclaimer page. Please know I will never promote or suggest any product that I haven't used and/or continue to use, and that I enjoy using in my own life.

 

GOALS THAT FEEL OVERWHELMING

Most goals are BIG. They are long-term goals, and if you are anything like me you want immediate gratification. If you want it immediately, and expect to do it immediately, then this is not a tangible goal. Someone who decides they want to run a marathon can’t go from sitting on the couch watching Forensic Files to running a marathon in one month. Setting goals and breaking them down into smaller goals/actionable steps allows you to organize your time and resources so that these goals become achievable.

 

WHAT IS THE GOAL

Scott Dinsmore from liveyourlegend.net asks “If there were a newspaper headline describing this past year for you, what would it say?”  That really got me thinking of what I have accomplished this past year, and what my future goals are, or should be.  What are your key motivations?  WHY is this important to you?  

WHY IS THE GOAL IMPORTANT?

A goal needs to motivate you – if it doesn’t, move on. Knowing why the goal is important to you helps get and keep you motivated.  What is/are the specific actions needed to be taken to move closer to achieving your goal?  Michael Hyatt suggests writing down and prioritizing your motivations.  Which one resonates the most with you from your list?     I need to add this quote. (Yes. I NEED TO.)   “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing – that's why we recommend it daily.”   Zig Ziglar ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BREAK IT DOWN INTO GREATER FOCUS

You can focus on the journey when you break it up into small tasks.   Break your goals down into “next actions” – into “do-able” pieces, not the whole schabang all at once!  Create a task list; don’t be unrealistic – these need to be achievable tasks.  Give yourself more time to complete than you think it will take.  Better to have more time than not enough – otherwise it’s frustrating (I promise!) Stressing out over your tasks may mean they are too complex or unrealistic.  Achieving minor tasks related to big goals is empowering.

 

GETTING THINGS DONE

I am a HUGE Getting Things Done (David Allen) fan.  He suggests dumping EVERYTHING out of your head.  All the tasks for a project (goal) you can possibly think of, write it down.  This is a brainstorming session – write EVERYTHING down.  Be very specific.  Here are your action items.  Once this is done, you can prioritize and organize the tasks.  Put them in a realistic, achievable order.  Put them in a calendar if that works for you. (Definitely works for me, I use Trello – and the basic plan is free!)

REVIEW IS NECESSARY

As in Getting Things Done, a weekly review is so so helpful in achieving your goals. Set a time for it.  I used to have it scheduled for Sunday but I found that I tended to blow it off on Sunday night.  Saturday morning, however, works well for me.  It’s important.  Reviewing once a week keeps you grounded in your journey and allows you to finagle any tweaks or changes that will adjust your systems to work in your favor.

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SMART GOALS

I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up S.M.A.R.T. goals to help us create achievable goals.     “S” is for Specific   These are goals that are written clearly (think “who, what, why, where, when) This should be not too broad – not general…     “M” is for Measurable   Does the goal answer how many or how often? How will you know you have achieved the goal? How will you evaluate?       “A” is for Achievable   Can you achieve your goal by the target date? Do you have accessible support? Are the results you expect realistic?     “R” is for Relevant   Does it make a difference in your personal/professional life?  Is its alignment with your values?     “T” is for Time-bound   Is there a clear and specific completion date?     Michael Hyatt (author of Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want) uses the acronym S.M.A.R.T.E.R. His “E” is for Exciting and his extra “R” is for “Risky” (Is the goal set high enough to demand your best effort?)   ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

OBSTACLES? SETBACKS?

What obstacles are getting in your way? Setbacks?  What are the solution/action steps that you can take to overcome these?  In the free worksheets, I have created a space for obstacle and setback notes – this is important. If you can see them ahead of time, and have a plan of action in case they come up – you are much more likely to stay on track.  Don’t be afraid to make adjustments. Do you need to assign more time to that task? Be kind to yourself.

GOALS, GOALS, GOALS

Goals give you the ability to focus and pay attention to what needs to be done. “I want” is not a goal.  “I need” is not a goal.  Make S.M.A.R.T. goals.  Print out the free printable goal worksheets and get started! Setting and keeping goals takes courage.  You have to want it more than you don’t want it. You are creating your reality!   Follow your heart, be consistent, be positive, work hard!   And always be grateful.   ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES TO HELP CREATE ACHIEVABLE GOALS

Nothing gets me going more than a great motivational quote written at the top of a to-do list!  Here are some ideas you can add to your own monthly goal sheets.

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” Michelangelo

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”   Tony Robbins

“The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.”   Thomas Henry Huxley

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be.  Now put the foundations under them.”   Henry David Thoreau

“We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit” Aristotle.

“I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.”   Zig Ziglar

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.”     Napoleon Hill

“By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands — your own.”   Mark Victor Hansen

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”   T.S. Eliot

“You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”   Stephen King       “One part at a time, one day at a time, we can accomplish any goal we set for ourselves.”   Karen Casey

“He who has a strong enough why can bear almost any how”   Friedrich Nietzsche

“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”   Vincent Van Gogh

“In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take, the relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make.”   Lewis Carroll

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”   Henry David Thoreau

“If you talk about it, it’s a dream, if you envision it, it’s possible, but if you schedule it, it’s real.”   Tony Robbins   ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 Habits of Insanely Productive People

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7 Habits of Insanely Productive People

You don’t need more time in your day.  You need to decide – Seth Godin

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10 Productivity Tools to Free Your Mind and Save You Time

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We all want to be productive and have more time to do the things we love.

Being more productive is mandatory to fit in more sleep, more exercise, more reading, more relaxing, less multitasking. With the right tools and equipment, we can become more productive, organized and efficient. Productivity tools help simplify daily tasks.  They can consist of note-taking tools, list-making tools, time-keeping tools, to-do tools, organization tools, calendar upgrades, fitness apps, writing and journaling apps, reading apps, news apps, navigation, etc. all to help make you more productive and save time during your already busy day.

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How to Use Evernote to Organize Your Life

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