For me, the new year marks a moment of reflection, a chance to set intentions and a time to formalize my 1, 3 and 5-year goals. This year I have decided to quiet my inner scaredy cat and go for it.

One of my favorite leadership books is by Spencer Johnson titled, Who Moved my Cheese? After re-reading it during the holiday break, its nagging question keeps reverberating in my mind:

"What would you do if you weren't afraid?"  

For those who have not read it, I would highly recommend adding it to your book list this year. The story emphasizes the importance of being open to change, adapting to new circumstances and letting go of fear of the unknown to find success and happiness.

For many of us on our journey towards achieving our dreams, fear can be both a motivator and a barrier. It can either propel us forward, igniting our passion to conquer new heights, or it can shackle us, preventing us from taking the necessary steps towards our aspirations.

If I am to be completely honest, I have been holding back from pursuing one of my biggest goals of becoming a full-time entrepreneur because of fear. I am afraid because I don’t have a lot of formal business training. My impostor syndrome says, ‘Shouldn’t I have an MBA?’ I am afraid that people might not be ready for my messages of high performance, confidence, diversity, and grit that ask them to confront what’s been holding them back and try to do things differently. My inner voice has financial fears, too: “What about my pension, my health benefits and the security of a paycheck week in and week out?” It’s super scary to start a whole new adventure when you are 50-something. At the same time, I can see the end of the runway from here and want to make sure I’ve stretched myself and my gifts to their limits.

It’s easy to let fearful thoughts overcome us and feel safety in the status quo. It’s natural to prefer what’s easy. To others, it might look like our goals are a stretch or Big Hairy Audacious Goals (Collins & Porras). For you, in your hearts of hearts, there is also certainty that more is within your reach.

Overcoming Fear to Articulate Ambitious Goals:

Fear often manifests as a barrier when it comes to articulating our goals. Sometimes, the fear of failure or the uncertainty of the unknown holds us back from even acknowledging our deepest aspirations. It's crucial to confront these fears and articulate our goals with clarity and conviction.

Let me be quite clear. The fear of financial instability, and the uncertainty of success has me shaking in my boots. The first step towards confronting that fear is to speak my ambitious goal into the universe (acknowledging this aspiration) literally. I’ve told everyone in my circle aloud. It is now out of the proverbial womb and breathing.

Creating Processes to Achieve Ambitious Goals:

Once your goals are articulated, the next step is to create actionable processes that pave the way toward their realization. Breaking down the big goal into smaller, manageable steps helps in overcoming the overwhelming nature of the task at hand. Numbers and measuring, routines and sorting can actually direct our brain’s activity away from the anxious center (amygdala) to the rational center (pre-frontal cortex) and keep us calm as we forge ahead. 

Taking my earlier example of transitioning to entrepreneurship, creating a step-by-step plan might involve actions like announcing my retirement as a VP (burning the escape bridge behind me), hiring a marketing team, revamping my website, developing new collateral materials for clients, expanding to new markets and drafting one new speaking topic plus three new workshops. Each of these steps is totally feasible and less daunting than the overarching goal itself.

Committing by Writing Down Your Goals:

The power of writing down goals has been proven. Dr. Gail Matthews from Dominican University conducted a study involving 267 participants, where some were asked to document their goals and action plans. Astonishingly, those who documented their aspirations were 42% more likely to accomplish what they set out to do compared to those who didn't formalize their goals in writing. The act of writing our goals down serves as a constant reminder of our objectives, fosters a sense of accountability and reinforces our determination to strive for our dreams.

If any of you have been ignoring that tiny voice calling you to rise for the last few months (or years, as in my case), let’s go for it this year.

"What would you do if you weren't afraid?" Let's challenge ourselves to transcend the limitations that fear can impose. Let's articulate bold aspirations and fearlessly pursue them by breaking them down into actionable steps we’re confident we can conquer. If we start now, we’ll be much closer to our greatness in a matter of months.

So here I go….

In 2024, I want to spread my messages of confidence, resilience and high performance on 100 stages across the globe.

Happy New Year, and may fearlessness guide you on your path to success!

#YouGotThis