How Can You Win If You Don't Play? Moving From Fear Into Action

By Joyanne Sloan

This topic is one I know will resonate with you because if you're alive, you know what it feels like to be afraid. Overcoming fear is something I work on both personally and professionally. Being an effective coach involves constant support of clients like you by way of helping you to shift perspective. When you have a new perspective, a fresh look at possibility, you come to understand that what you once perceived as barriers were merely obstacles disguised by fear.

From that standpoint, the fear of failure and the subsequent inertia it creates, are effectively eliminated. You may notice that I said effectively eliminated because the truth is that your fear response, as an essential function of your survival mechanism, will never be completely extinguished. That's not the goal really. Fear can serve you appropriately under the right circumstances so the real intention is not to get rid of fear, but to learn to overcome it as often as you want to. No longer will you avoid trying altogether; no more will you be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

So, if you're feeling stuck, take a good look at how fear plays a dominant role in that scenario. When you understand that, you're given a new chance to shift yourself from a supporting role into a leading role in your success through the power of volition. Volition is a choice or decision made of your own free will. Isn't that exciting when you stop to think about it?

Better yet, the word VOLITION is from the Latin word VOLO which means 'I wish'. So, let's get creative! What do you wish for? Do you want to win the lottery? Do you want to win at love? The fact of the matter is simple: Life is like a lottery. You've got to step up and get your ticket to be in the running at all! If you don't play, you can't win. There's something thrilling about knowing that you've got a shot at the jackpot!

Now, by exercising YOUR free will, you can begin to move forward. Through volition, you're taking the most critical, even if imperceptible, step toward success. By that I mean that using your will is an internal process that makes external action possible. The implication of intention or a volition distinguishes it from word shall, which implies obligation or necessity. And, as you already know, the chances of you doing what you don't really want to are slim to none.

Having said that, I recommend that before you move into the field of action, you first get really clear about what you wish for and what steps might take you there. Keep in mind that life, by nature, is not linear so don't set yourself up for disappointment by creating expectations that any particular effort will result in any specific outcome. Remember, it's not about perfection, but progress towards your goal. And for every action taken, there will be a reaction or result; something to learn, something to add to the base of knowledge from which to take every subsequent step.

That is the process of evolution. And every time you evolve, you experience a personal victory, no matter the size. Acknowledging your victories is an essential rule in the game of life! Forgetting that rule will land you right back at stumped and stymied; do not pass go, do not collect one hundred dollars.

Once you've taken the critical first step, you can then say to yourself "I did it!" thereby creating the momentum that will drive you ever closer to making your wish come true. Above all, the effort in itself is a gift, not only to you, but to everyone able to witness your bravery. That is particularly true of children to whom you can give a legacy of strength and spirit.

That may bring up another kind of fear which is that others will see what you're doing and then judge the outcome. In the past, you may have allowed that to stop you dead in your tracks. But knowing that the outcome is neither winning nor losing, but merely producing a result, you're freed from the need to add judgment to the equation. Simply move ahead and observe.

Effort is your expressed intention energized by ACTION. Physics tells us that energy, once released, flows infinitely outward. Because energy drives your actions, no effort is ever wasted. Instead, your assured win is invaluable in its ability to model courage for yourself and others. The word courage comes from the Latin 'coraticum' or heart and remains a metaphor for inner strength. The courage to act will come when you become aware of, and respond to, the genuine yearnings of your heart.

From your heart-awareness, choosing to ACT is choosing to consciously open the gift of your life. It is accepting that it's okay to have what you want, and to give yourself permission for a change! Choosing your SELF is not throwing caution to the wind, but rather an act of responsibility. Quite literally, it fosters your ABILILITY to RESPOND to our shared obligation to be joyful and whole. What better gift could you give the world?

In the words of Maxwell Maltz:

"Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not that one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on one's ideas, to take a calculated risk... and to act."

Here's my challenge to you:

Every time to notice yourself feeling stuck, decide to set the fear aside. Write down your fear on a piece of paper, fold it up and tuck it away from sight for the time being. Then bring your focus to the dream or desire you wish for. Now, remember that it's impossible to truly fail because you're always progressing through the process of cause and effect.

Simply imagine your self savoring sweet victory. Be present with the experience of having what you want; feel and know it to be so. From that happy encounter, you can plan when and how to execute your next step. As you proceed, find your way back to the experience of already having what you want any time that doubt or fear become obstacles on your path.

Until next time, I leave you with abundant peace.

Need 5 minutes of inspiration? Click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHyQRHLIclk

Joyanne Sloan is certified life coach, inspirational author and podcaster. She helps you transform the life you just live into a life you just LOVE!

Discover her books, articles and podcasts for thought-provoking perspectives on how to live the life you've waited so long for.

Web http://www.PeaceOfProsperity.com

Podcast: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=160070517

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