Before I was laid off, back in 2001, I was sprinting so fast to stay still that I never saw my breakdown coming.

I was successful in my IT career, travelling the world in First Class and living like a King.  But I was stalled, stuck and stymied and was having to sprint as fast as I could just so I could stay where I was and not fall down.

I never noticed the massive amounts of energy it was taking for me to stay still, and I never opened my eyes to how much I hated what I was doing.  I never had the balls to admit to myself that I was somewhere in life that I didn’t like or recognise, and I ended up paying a hefty price.

I tell you this because I know that fearing the wrong thing will land you in trouble.

You can’t stand still, because nothing in nature does that.  Everything grows and fades, nature is full of beginnings and endings.  Nature is cyclical.  So are you.

Fear of failure is all too common, but it’s the wrong thing to be scared about.  How about the fear that you can go after what you want most in the world, and then not get it?  Okay, that’s closer, but it’s still the wrong thing to be scared about.

You should be scared about not trying to go after what you want most in the world.  You should be scared of not listening to what really matters to you.

Because that’s what will really screw you up.  That’s what will really destroy you if you let yourself be led by those other fears.

3 years ago I started freelancing in addition to my coaching, and I was scared silly.  What will my peers think?  What if I end up back where I was in 2001?  What if I lose my faith and love of coaching?  What if I plain suck at being a Producer?  I was dripping in fear, but what I’d learned is that I couldn’t stay still and I couldn’t start running faster and faster to keep the equilibrium in place.

I made a choice to let go of my comfortable lifestyle because I wanted something more.  This year will also see some changes as I work on things that may well take me in a new direction.  I don’t know what’ll happen or whether things will work out, but that’s exactly why I’m going to find out.  I can’t not explore because I’m scared of getting lost.

Beginnings and endings.

Choose what you’re scared of.  Don’t be scared of failure.  Don’t be scared of beginning something.  Don’t be scared of letting go of something.

Only be scared of not trying and of not listening to what matters.

You scared yet?