Section 5: Fear, Freedom, & Hope
Fear shows up in two primary ways during a big life change.
Fear of the Unknown
The first way that fear shows up is through fear of the unknown. It's scary not knowing what lies ahead.
It’s like hiking in the dark with a headlamp when suddenly you hear the sound of nearby twigs breaking. Is it a true threat or a harmless animal? Without confirmation, it remains unknown and fear-inducing.
Unknowns and uncertainties during the transition process:
Where will I live?
What will I do for work?
Will my new team like me?
Do I have what it takes to succeed?
This type of fear can result in a number of scenarios. It can leave you frozen in the same spot or play mind games with worst-case scenario "What if?" questions.
These questions either keep you in your "play it safe" comfort zone or excite you at the thought of something new.
How do you overcome the unknown? For many, it’s through preparation. You wait until you feel fully ready to take on the challenge in front of you.
While some preparation is necessary, the “perfect time” will never come. It doesn't exist. At some point, you have to jump.
Fear of Failure
The second fear is the fear of failure. Nobody sets out intending to fail, but failure is often part of the process. Instead of allowing fear of failure to hold you back, what if you could reframe it as an opportunity?
Take Thomas Edison's experiments with the incandescent light bulb. He conducted thousands of trials to find the perfect filament type. Instead of giving up after the first try, it showed him what didn't work; bringing him one step closer to the correct solution.
The same is true during your transition. Each failed job interview, unsatisfying job, subpar test score, or mistake is an opportunity to improve. It provides feedback on what does and doesn’t work. It opens the door to iterate and improve for the next time.
Failure = Growth.