Facing Fear and Taking Action

When we lack confidence in our abilities, we often find ourselves avoiding what needs to be done to succeed. Our goals and dreams remain unfulfilled as we come up with countless reasons to delay taking action.

But are these reasons truly valid? Or are they simply excuses driven by a fear of failure? You'll never discover your true potential or make your dreams a reality until you stop procrastinating and start taking action.

If fear and self-doubt prevent you from doing what’s right—even when it’s uncomfortable—you’re missing out on success. Be brave! Beneath your fears lie your most beautiful dreams.

I'd like to share a personal story to illustrate what can be achieved by simply embracing courage and overcoming fear.

When I was training to become a Yoga Teacher, I taught many free classes to friends, neighbours, colleagues, and basically anyone willing to be my model student. This was my way of gaining experience and learning what it truly takes to be a teacher. I remember many moments when I was reluctant to accept invitations to teach. I would come up with various, sometimes ridiculous, excuses to avoid trying. "I don't have enough knowledge"—but how can you gain experience and knowledge if you don’t practice? "I don’t have time"—trust me, I did! "I have no space to teach"—yet another lie!

It wasn't until a few years later that I realised why I was procrastinating, postponing, cancelling, and avoiding what was important. I understood that the root of all my self-created obstacles was self-doubt. I was simply afraid of failing, of making mistakes, of showing that I wasn’t perfect or didn’t know everything. Time and time again, I allowed self-doubt and a lack of confidence to slow down my progress toward my goals.

One day, I invited a friend to come along for a yoga session with a lesson I had put together. We agreed on a time that suited us both, but when the day arrived, I really didn’t feel like going through with the plan. I started trying to think of excuses to cancel or postpone (again). In the end, I felt too embarrassed to lie, so she came for the lesson. I wasn’t in the best frame of mind, feeling anxious and unable to muster my usual energy. I decided not to aim for perfection, as I usually do. We went through the lesson, and somewhere halfway through, I began to realise that my instructions were flowing effortlessly, and for the first time during my studies, I felt like I actually knew what I was doing. I have to admit, at that point, it felt like the best yoga lesson I had ever delivered. To confirm my feelings, my friend told me after the session that she thoroughly enjoyed the class and felt so content that she nearly fell asleep during Savasana (the final relaxation posture in yoga).

The point of sharing this story is to show how facing fear and taking action anyway can lead to positive results. When you realise that fear can never be entirely removed, no matter what you do, stop feeding it with your energy. Instead, direct compassion to the fearful part of yourself. If you show up for yourself, success and new opportunities will follow.

Change can be daunting—it requires stepping out of our comfort zones. Our goals and dreams often remain unfulfilled because we continually find reasons not to act. But these reasons are often just manifestations of fear, especially fear of failure.

Face your fears and accept that they will arise. When you look within, you'll find the courage to pursue what ignites your soul. Turn your dreams into reality by confronting your fears and saying, "I am scared, but I will do it anyway!"