The Fear Ladder

Fear Holds Us Back

Is there something in your life that you really want or something that you know would be of great benefit for you to do, but you still hesitate, procrastinate, or fail to follow through? If this has ever happened to you (welcome to being human!), it is usually caused by an underlying fear - either conscious but too scary to look at or often unconscious.

In my case, until my early 30’s, my terror of public speaking held me back from many career and personal opportunities. I would hyperventilate when I had to speak to a group larger than 3 people. My brain would freeze and I would forget everything I was going to say. I eventually overcame this and am now comfortable and can even enjoy speaking to large groups. I wish that I had had the potent tool I am going to share with you here back then.

Imagine you're standing at the edge of a cliff, looking down into the abyss below. Your heart races, your palms sweat, and every fiber of your being screams at you to step back. But what if I told you that taking that step forward could lead to your greatest breakthrough yet?

The Fear Ladder

Welcome to the Fear Ladder, a method designed to help you conquer your deepest fears and unlock your full potential. Just like climbing a ladder, each step brings you closer to overcoming the obstacles that stand in your way.

Let's take the example of ME!, an otherwise “talented” professional who's been given the daunting task of delivering an important presentation to his company's leadership team. Andy has a deep-seated fear of public speaking, and the mere thought of standing in front of a room full of people sends shivers down his spine.

Step one: Andy admits that he has a general fear – public speaking.

Step two: He explores and identifies the specific fear – in this case, the fear of public embarrassment or being judged by others.

Step three: Andy imagines the worst-case scenario – stumbling over his words, forgetting his lines, and facing negative judgment from his peers and leaders that lead to loss of status, pay, or even employment.

Step four: He evaluates the likelihood of this worst-case scenario happening – realizing that while it's possible, it's not probable.

Step five: Andy then asks himself, "So what if that actually did happen? Could I deal with it?" He realizes that even if he stumbled, he could recover and learn from the experience.

Step six: He envisions the optimal outcome – delivering a confident and engaging presentation that impresses his audience and leads to new opportunities, even a raise or promotion.

Step seven: Andy considers and takes action on what he can do to make the optimal outcome more likely – practicing his presentation, seeking feedback, and visualizing success.

Final Step: Now, it's time for Andy to take action – to step off the cliff and face his fear head-on. Because as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."

So, what fear is holding you back? It's time to climb your Fear Ladder and reach new heights.