When it comes to changing any parts of your life, many top notch leaders and entrepreneurs are suggesting that with a leap of faith comes with that unwarranted: “Just Do It Scared.”

Nike of course, started this phenomenon with its well-known logo and branding, “Just Do It” and then somewhere along the time, the word “scared” got added in.

 

 

2015 was a really gutzy “just do it scared” type of year: I bought a house, signed two book contracts, stopped nursing, took on additional clients, wrote on topics WAY out of my comfort zone, reinvented myself with a podcast, and the list goes on.

I’m still challenged every day. But the lessons of courage continue. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1.You just have to keep moving forward with a poker face. You don’t show editors, agents, producers and publishers your fear. They don’t need to know all that. You play on the “reverse psychology” theme – you just do it as if you’re comfortable with it. 

2.Each time you move forward, you feel one step less fearful.

3. Even with a straightforward mindset such as “doing it scared,” you still need a plan. A strategy. How are you going to get from point A to point B? What are your steps? If the investment involves money, have you saved up? Have you taken a loan? Do you have a backup plan? If you’re leaving your day job do you have another job laid out?

Allow me to share an example: 2015 was the year I moved out of our tiny 2 bedroom home for the last 8 years. Was I scared as to whether I could pay for all the utilities and a mortgage? Of course, but we needed to finally change our home environment and we spent years saving up so by the time we moved, we weren’t terribly shocked – it was just an adjustment. Mustering courage to “do it scared” means opting in with a new way of living with a plan as you move forward to the next stage with confidence knowing that this new decision will support you going forward.

4. “Just Doing it Scared” is also a “letting go” mindset. But then there are those for whom “doing it scared” can be threatening. And I understand that. I do – that’s why having a plan is so important. And the flip side is that when you resist “doing it scared,” you avoid also taking a risk.

5.Every new thing you attempt, you set the wheels of faith into motion. You can’t just walk into something new blindly without staying open to how this decision can help you in the long run because you can only walk in your shoes and take one step at a time.

6. The opposite of growth is self-doubt. Bring forth positive energies when you commit to doing something scared.

7.Every time you open yourself up to new challenges, opportunities allow you to grow.  And there will always be challenges.

BONUS. When you get too overwhelmed or unsure if you should “do it scared,” sometime it pays to stop, consult an expert or a loved one and seek the power of community.  There’s great power in seeking help. And offering help.

 

I’ve become big fan of the “do it scared” tactic because honestly, the fear is the one thing that separates me. I can stay where I am right now or I can commit to a new decision that will change my trajectory.

This tactic suddenly became relevant when I signed on with a publicist (yes, it costs a pretty penny and I’m not used to investing in myself that way) and prior to that, a contract for my memoir. They were both however, calculated risks because of the direction of where I’m currently headed. (Yes, you do need to invest if you want the (ahem, literary) world to take you seriously. That’s how this business works.)

Sometimes when you do it scared, you have much to gain and very little  to lose.

Interestingly enough, when I “do it scared,” I feel as if I have Nike and a community backing me up.

And yes, there were times when the “do it scared” tactic was just downright scary. But when I wanted something so badly, I did it.

 

Over to You!

What have you done this year (or month) with a “just do it scared” attitude? Did it pay off for you? And are there still things you wished you have done with a more focused “Just do it scared” attitude?  I’d love to hear from you and yes, I’ll respond to your comment below!