Fear often keeps people from taking the all-important first step towards success. It is that little voice in our heads that often holds us back. Fear gives us pause. It puts a negative spin on things. How do you overcome fear?
Letting negativity from naysayers deflate you can also be a career killer.
"It's that self-doubt that creeps up in all of us, that despite who we are, what we have accomplished and what our plans are, that we are not good enough," said Dr. Bernard Harris Jr., the first African-American astronaut to walk in space and author of "Embracing Infinite Possibilities: Letting Go of Fear to Find Your Highest Potential."
"Those fears hold us back," he said.
The good news? You can learn to overcome fear and reinvent yourself throughout your life, says Harris. He went to medical school and started his career as a doctor in the early '80s before joining NASA in 1988 and becoming an astronaut in 1991. Self-empowerment and self-determination can go a long way, says Harris.
In the 30 years since Harris took that historic walk in space, he has reinvented himself many times. After retiring from space exploration, he pivoted to the world of business, entrepreneurship and venture capital.
Harris shares his strategies for moving beyond fear and self-doubt when facing career transitions. His template for success is all about the self-knowledge and self-acceptance that empower people to take charge of their own success.
Realize Your Own Capabilities
Everyone needs a foundation to build upon. Part of that is identifying what excites you.
"Get to know who you are," said Harris. What motivates you? What drives you? Then figure out what you're good at. Don't downplay your accomplishments, whether it's going to medical school, acing career tests, walking in space or landing a job you thought was a long shot.
"Having that foundation allows you to be prepared for the fears that you will face," said Harris. "When the self-doubt inevitably comes, you have to back up and say, 'No, no, no, I am good enough, and I don't have to doubt myself.'"
Taking big steps in life is all about preparation. Harris recalls his case of nerves when he stepped out into space for the first time 30 years ago.
"When you open that hatch and step out that door and walk out into space for the first time, you step into fear," Harris said. "Then you realize that, hey, I have all the tools necessary to overcome this. Knowing what you're capable of allows you to take that leap of faith."
Let Things Go To Overcome Fear
Don't dwell on setbacks for too long. And don't let today's failure impact tomorrow. In short, don't allow what Harris dubs "15 minutes of shame" to consume you — or define you or stop you from moving forward.
Harris offers the following fix: "Say to yourself, 'OK, I'll allow myself 15 minutes to beat myself up and say, 'I should have done this, I should have done that.' After that, I'm going to move on," Harris said.
In essence, learn from failure, don't fear it.
Visualize Success And Overcome Fear
You can't achieve a goal or success unless you imagine it in your mind. And play the dream over in your head repeatedly. Just as a superstar basketball player visualizes hitting a three-point shot at the buzzer, you must visualize success, too.
"You have to see yourself doing it," said Harris. "When I talk to kids in primary school, I say, 'When I was your age, I used to visualize getting into my very own spaceship and traveling to the moon and then exploring the moon.' I know it sounds stupid, but it is the reason I'm here today (as the first African American to walk in space) because I visualized myself doing that."
Believe In Yourself When Others Don't
Your mindset and self-belief are keys to success. "When you go through life, you're going to have more naysayers than believers," said Harris. "Being mindful of the negative influences that may derail your progress is so important."
What people say about you or stereotypes can become impediments to success. Believing in yourself allows you to be resilient, says Harris. It's also important to surround yourself with people who believe in you.
"Seek out those role models, those folks who inspire you," said Harris. "My quest to accomplish things and move forward were in part due to people's negative expectations of me (throughout my life)," said Harris. "You can't do this. You can't do that."
Raise Your Expectation And Overcome Fear
Don't limit yourself. Shoot higher. The last thing you want is to underachieve. Once you make an accurate assessment of what your talents, capabilities and skill set are, raise your expectations to a level commensurate with your abilities.
It's better to set high expectations than to undershoot to the downside. "Don't sell yourself short," said Harris. "Don't allow yourself to squander the talents and skills that you have."
