Almost 25 years ago, I had a knee injury on the ski slopes due to some false bravado on my part. I thought I was ready to ski down a slope, but realised later that I hadn’t mastered the basics. I fell down incessantly, badly twisted my knee, tore a ligament and was brought down by the paramedics in the middle of a snow storm.
I haven’t skied since that day for fear of doing more damage to an already compromised knee. I imagine what will happen if I keep falling the same way or if I have an even worse injury.
Meanwhile, my children have mastered the slopes and whizz along with ease and flow.
Do I want to ski with them and feel the thrill of the wind in my face as I gracefully navigate the turns? Yes.
But, my fear of injury is keeping me from taking the risk and partaking in the exhilarating experience of skiing with my family. Should I throw caution to the wind and just do it? Or do I keep believing that some risks are simply not worth it.
This is where the distinction between good fear vs. bad fear can help:
Good fear: fear surrounding stepping out of your comfort zone
Bad fear: worrying about what could go wrong, the “would-have’s, should-have’s, could-have’s”.
I coach my clients to lean into their good fear so that they can get to their next level of success, whether that’s professional success or personal fulfilment. We feel good fear when we are about to do something bold or have an uncomfortable conversation. The more we learn to recognise it, the more we’re able to see it as a sign of our learning and growth.
Will you welcome good fear in going after something you really want in your life right now?
H/T: Good Fear vs Bad Fear from “Playing Big” by Tara Mohr
#executivecoaching #playingbig #createconfidence #feelfearless #challengezone
