I have seen many people let fear stand in the way of their dreams, and this troubles me. Fear comes upon all of us when we face something uncertain or unknown. Maybe not all of the time, yet if we admit it fear often keeps us from making potentially positive changes in our lives. This should not be so. Instead recognize your fear and use that as motivation to accomplish your dreams.
Often it is enough to simply acknowledge your enemy and then you can begin to overcome that enemy. The enemy of our dreams is fear. Fear of what others around us will think when we take a “leap of faith.” Fear of failure if things don’t go the way we hope. Fear of how we could let down those we care about and those who rely on us for support. Fear of the unknown.
What does this really boil down to? We are comfortable in the place we exist. We know our routine. We know our job (even if we don’t like it). We know the people around us. Familiarity creates a zone of comfort which we are loathe to risk changing.
But the greatest changes in my life have always been when I stepped outside of my comfort zone by recognizing my fear, determining to overcome it, and used that motivation to make progress toward accomplishing my dreams.
Often I have told people that when my wife and I were first married we hit the road with my first book. We toured eleven states in approximately four months. We relied on meeting new people and forming connections. We had no specific outline for our trip we just knew that God wanted us to do it and that the place we were at was not his best for us. The result? Thousands of books sold, speaking experience and connections established, and my first book contract from a traditional publisher. None of which would have happened if I had remained in my comfort zone.
This year we are making a huge shift, moving from Connecticut to South Carolina. This is going to be a difficult thing but we know that God is in it. We leave a lot behind that we know and love. Family, friends, familiarity with the area, and more… but we look ahead to greater things in store as we follow our dreams. We need to step outside of our comfort zone in order to grow deeper together and with God’s will.
Question: Do you recognize fears in your life that stop you from achieving your God-given dreams?
Great post. I went back to school at 33, and I began my journey of pursuing my dream of being a full-time writer. It was and is intimidating, but with the Lord’s help I have made progress. I hope to do as you are, and inspire others. Thanks.
Great post! God is currently helping me out of my fears of failure and criticism. It’s difficult because the voices that instilled the fear in you as child become your own as an adult, and your with your own voice constantly. A renewal of mind and heart as Paul spoke of in Romans is what I need to seek. Thanks for the encouragement, bro!
Gabriel, I agree! Sometimes it is hard to do, but whenever possible I encourage you to seek out other people who will encourage you. At public speaking engagements I have often advised people that their only true friends are those who encourage you in the pursuit of your God-given dreams. If there are other people discouraging you then you should, as much as is possible, stop hanging out with them.
We do become the sum average of the people we choose to hang out and closely associate with.
🙂 It’s always encouraging for me to hear from others who are pursuing their dreams. Thanks for sharing Chad!