Conquer Your Fears So You Can Conquer Your Life

Fear is an emotion we all have to deal with. As men, we like to try and suppress our fear, put on a bold face, and make people think that we don’t feel this vulnerable emotion. But the fact is, we have all known fear.

It may seem that the only options are either giving in to fear or suppressing it. But that just isn’t the case. Fear is something that we can overcome. When we learn how to handle our fear, it can be a powerful tool in our hands.

So let’s talk about that taboo subject. Here are some of the different types of fear that we experience and how to overcome each of them.

Imposter Phenomenon

One of the more common types of fear we can experience is imposter phenomenon (IP). Imposter phenomenon is when a high-achieving person feels that they are a fraud. It’s when you feel that you are a fake despite all of the success that you have achieved.

IP affects a lot of men out there. These feelings can undermine our success in our minds, destroy our confidence, and cause us to live in constant fear.

The Dangers

The effects of IP are far greater than just fear, though. Imposter phenomenon can create feelings of paranoia in us. If we feel that our success is simply due to luck or some mistake, we might live in constant fear of being found out. People who are affected by IP fear that others might find them to be unintelligent or a liar.

This paranoia can put a lot of strain on relationships. It can sow seeds of distrust among your colleagues or even your friends and family.

IP can also cause us not to feel proud of our successes. If these feelings of fear and lack of confidence grow, they can prevent us from achieving our maximum potential and hinder our true ability to succeed.

How To Confront It

For IP, the solution is a growth mindset. Many people with IP tend to view their abilities and success as stable or unchangeable. But this is not a healthy way of viewing them.

By adopting a growth mindset, we recognize that our success and abilities are malleable, and we can change and grow to increase our success and our skill.

To confront IP, we need to recognize the success that we have and our competence, and then we need to believe that we can grow in our skill, learn from our mistakes, and continue in our success.

Anxiety

Anxiety is an all too common mental affliction. Anxiety can bring fear and stress into various situations and in various ways.

What Does Anxiety Look Like?

Anxiety begins with the natural human response to stress. Stress triggers the hormone cortisol, which then triggers the fight or flight response in the body.

If this reaction turns into a constant state of stress or fear, it can have many adverse effects on your body, including:

• Muscle tension
• Dizziness
• Heart pounding
• Tight chest
• Trouble sleeping
• Decreased appetite

All of these are both symptoms of anxiety and fear. But those are just the physical symptoms. Anxiety causes you to be in a constant state of worry or fear over situations in your daily life.

Whether it’s work, a relationship, or something else entirely, anxiety can ruin a significant part of your life, and we need to stop it.

How to Handle Anxiety

Luckily, there are things that you can do to conquer this type of fear as well. Anxiety is a sickness, and we can treat it.

Therapy can be a major help when it comes to anxiety. Many of us have a stigma against therapy and may think that going to therapy is a sign of weakness. But therapy is not weakness; it’s training. Therapy is training for handling any mental adversity that comes your way.

Exercise can also help manage feelings of anxiety. Getting to the gym, building muscle, shredding fat, and improving your physical fitness can work wonders on your mindset. You’ll feel more energized and capable of taking on the things that cause you stress.

Other Methods of Dealing With Fear

Controlling fear is about controlling your perception. If you can build your focus and learn how to practice positive self-talk, you can combat fear with confidence.

Focus on the Present

When we start to feel fear in any situation, we first need to identify the negative thoughts and replace them with positive alternatives.

After that, the key is to focus on the right things. There are many positive things we can focus on. Keep control of your focus. Maybe that means taking stock of your successes in life. Perhaps it means reading a great book, playing a sport you love, or going to the gym to lift weights and bulk up.

Whatever that looks like, focus on the positive when your stress presents itself.

Lastly, build your confidence by sharing your struggles with those close to you. We should not combat fear alone. Receiving support from someone is the best way to beat your fears and succeed in life.

Get Sleep

Sleep is a great way to regulate our stress. Set a strict sleep schedule for yourself, create a nightly ritual or routine to help you wind down, or take supplements to help with sleep and recovery.

Sleep can help regulate the hormones and the natural cycles in our bodies. This nightly rest can help bring clarity to your mind and body, so make it a priority.

A Final Word on Fear

Fear isn’t something you just have to experience. Fear is a mountain that you can climb and conquer. It will take hard work, a lot of training, and the support of people around you, but fear is something that doesn’t have to rule your life.

So the next time you experience fear, remember to adopt a growth mindset, exercise to support your physical and mental health, and get help from experts and the people who care about you. Take your fear by the horns and conquer it so you can live your best life.

Sources

Anxiety Disorders | Counseling and Psychological Services | UC Santa Cruz

Overcoming Fear and the Battle in our Brains | American Dental Association

“Overcoming the Fear That Haunts Your Success” – The Effectiveness of Interventions for Reducing the Impostor Phenomenon | Frontiers in Psychology