You know how awesome it is to dance when people aren’t watching? It’s great. There is no one to laugh at you, no one to please, no one passing their judgments on you about your moves.
It’s just pure. You move how you want to and you thoroughly enjoy it.
Well, what if you could do the same thing with your life accomplishments? Have you ever decided not to do something because you were worried about what people would think?
Some of us are better than others at this, but if you’re human, you have most definitely let your worry about the outside world hold you back from accomplishment at least a few times in your life.
I could sit back and say something like, “stop doing that and you’ll be more successful,” but that’s only going to change your behavior for about 15 minutes. Instead, I’m going to give you a mindset change to implement into your life that will help you conquer your worry about the outside world.
Think about it
When is the last time you just went and did something that was important to you without worrying about how those around you would view you because of it?
The fact is, as humans, we care about being accepted. We care about being close to the people around us in our every day lives, and if we go and do something that these people may not understand, that is a little bit outside of our comfort zone, odds are we will be viewed as “different” from the group and are likely to be made fun of – or at least that’s what we think will happen.
But that’s the thing.
Most often, we’re just worrying too much. And we’re letting that worry get in the way of the things that are most important to us.
So here’s what I want you to do.
First, Observe Yourself
To understand what you are being held back from accomplishing, first I want you to take a couple of days to observe yourself.
Monitor your actions throughout the day and take note of the things you decide not to do, or to do differently because you are worried about the way people might judge you. Each time you find something, take note of how that it could change your life significantly in the future.
It might just be something little, but maybe it’s something big.
– Maybe you’re holding yourself from writing that book because you’re worried about what people might think.
– Maybe you’ve never stood up and spoke in public because you’re worried about what people might think.
– Maybe you’ve never started that side business you’ve been thinking about because you’re worried about what people might think.
– Maybe you’re scared to go to the gym or go running because you’re worried about what people might think.
Take note of what those things are.
Now, Visualize the Future
Now I want you to think long-term. Paint a picture in your mind.
Visualize the future of what will be true in your life when you accomplish the things from above that you have been putting off because of your worries.
How might getting those things accomplished change your life in the future? Really visualize how your life will be transformed.
– Will you be a recognized author who is able to change lives through your work?
– Will you be an inspiring speaker who is able to motivate others to improve their own lives?
– Will you have a flourishing business that gives you financial and lifestyle freedom?
– Will you live a healthy, active, and high energy lifestyle with your newly sculpted body?
Focus on the Outcomes
By shifting your focus to the outcomes of the things you will accomplish, you can move towards eliminating your worry altogether.
By doing this, you are shifting your thinking to an extremely positive state, and rather than holding yourself back with negative worrisome emotions, you are giving yourself energy and permission to proceed by painting a positive picture of your future.
Over time, this will re-shape the way you approach accomplishment. Rather than first focusing on the worry, you’ll begin to instinctively paint that picture of what your life will be like in the future, and that’s extraordinarily powerful for your future achievements.
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Cody Wheeler is a Self Improvement blogger at Academy Success. He believes there is always a better way to do things, and we shouldn’t ever hold ourselves back from doing the things we care about.