This isn't a new question; it's been around as long as people have roamed the earth. Some of the greatest minds throughout history have looked at the mechanism that holds us back - that factor of human nature that prevents us from achieving a great life.



Over the years it's been referred to as different things, but today we can simply call it fear. Basically it's an instinct designed to keep us from harm. You've no doubt heard of the 'fight or flight' response, an essential reaction for the early human race. Essentially, it's what makes us jump when someone says BOO!

We all have a comfort zone and when we step out of it, or danger comes into it, we experience an adrenaline rush enabling us to fight or run away. Our natural default setting is to run and get back into our comfort zone as quickly as possible. We log the experience in our brain as it was very uncomfortable and programme ourselves not to do it again.

But as we don't have to worry about being eaten by sabre tooth tigers these days, most fear is imaginary. F.E.A.R = False Evidence Appearing Real. We're brilliant at imagining the worst that could happen, even though 99.99% of the time it never does. On the other hand, we spend very little time imagining the best that could happen, yet evidence suggests that the few who do visualise their success are much more likely to achieve it.

Fear has been encouraged in our society for years. Governments and churches have used fear as a control mechanism over the ages to keep society in line - even your mum probably had it in her bag of tricks when you were little! In reality, we have a choice - feeling the fear and do it anyway, or whimpering back and staying average.

Any improvement you want to make will involve change. If you want to change some things in your life you have to change some things in your life - that sounds like a riddle, but in fact it just means no problem can be solved at the same level of thinking that caused it.

People who remain average resist change because 'it didn't feel right'. People who improve their lives know they'll feel uncomfortable but push through the feeling and do it anyway. Anything substantial enough to make a worthwhile difference will inevitably involve doing something that takes you out of your comfort zone, so it stands to reason you'll feel uncomfortable about the action needed.

Start with small changes that are outside of your comfort zone. That zone gradually gets bigger as you start to build your confidence. List the positives and negatives of any action - objective analysis helps you to break down the fear.

"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt" as Shakespeare said. Don't let your doubts and fears take away the good things in your life.