There’s a truth about fear that no-one talks about. And it’s holding back your career.

There is an uncomfortable truth about fear that is hard to admit.

No matter what we try - avoidance, delaying, ignoring - there is only ONE thing that makes fear go away….

Let me tell you how I beat it.

Back in 2013, a headhunter reached out to me on Linkedin.

An incredible opportunity was available to join a fast-growing London start-up.

It was in a ‘sexy’ industry and it was a very cool brand.

Plus it was paying double my salary.

Seduced by the role ‘on-paper’, I agreed to an interview; just to see what it was about (with no real intention of leaving Nike)

Fast forward 3 weeks and I had a job offer from this company.

It all happened so quickly, I barely had time to come up for air.

But sitting there with the job offer in my hand, the reality set in.

I had a decision to make.

Stay at Nike - where things were comfortable and I was on a trajectory with momentum. Or leave - and take a chance on this unknown brand.

I asked myself ‘What makes you scared to leave Nike? What’s the worst that can happen?’

Answer?

The worst case scenario would be that I leave Nike, it doesn’t work out and I end up unemployed.

Considering this as the worst case scenario, I decided to take my chances.

I really didn’t see that the worst case could happen. As scared as I was, I thought it was an irrational fear; there was absolutely no way I was going to end up unemployed.

So I resigned from Nike (a company I still loved)

And took my chance.

It was August 2013.

By Christmas, I was unemployed.

The worst did indeed happen

The risk I took didn’t pay off.

3 months into my new role, I was let go.

Their decision. But the overwhelming sense of relief I felt made it seem more like a mutual one.

Here I was. Christmas 2013. And I was unemployed.

What a difference a year can make

I didn’t know it yet but I was heading into one of the worst ‘first halves’ of my life.

The first half of 2014 was awful. And even now I’d rather forget it.

But by August 2014, I had a very BIG job offer from Apple.

And when I started there later that month, I knew I was in the right place.

By December, I was in Bali with 3 of my new workmates, drinking cocktails by the pool (a weekend trip created thanks to an Apple conference in Singapore).

A complete 180 on the December before.

Only facing fear makes it go away

I had never faced fear so directly head on.

I had literally sat down and worked out what my greatest fear about leaving Nike was. AND IT CAME TRUE!

I was scared I’d get fired -  and I did.

But guess what?

It doesn’t scared me anymore.

The fear of losing my job is 100% gone after that experience.

And I will never fear it again.

Because the worst happened.

And I survived.

That’s how you make the fear ago away.

You face it head on. And either one of two things happens:

1. It’s not as bad as you thought it would be
2. Or the worst happens and you survive

Either way, you won’t be afraid anymore.

Avoidance, ignoring, delaying - none of that makes it go away.

Only enduring it will.

Whatever you are afraid of, now is the time to face it

Life is too short to be living with fear. Especially when it comes to careers.

Everything in your career can be recovered, rethought, repaired.

Take the risk. It’ll be worth it.