Chasing FailureSample

Just Do It Scared

I’ve been thrown into the deep end without a life jacket many times. And sometimes I jumped without being pushed. There’s so much to learn in the deep end. It’s probably wiser to learn to swim in the shallow, but where’s the fun in that? Sometimes you just have to go for it. 

I have the opportunity to be in front of thousands of people a year. I wish I could tell you I never get nervous and I don’t sweat it, but that’s not true. I just do it scared. Four principles that help me deal with fear are to stay ready, remain teachable, do the right thing for the right reason, and consistently engage in activities that intimidate me.

If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready. You can step up without warning to follow what God asks you to do. You may not have the luxury of getting over the nerves and fears before you respond, so you may just need to do it scared. You may not be able to control your nerves, but you can have some control of your readiness. Start preparing now for the opportunity you want in the future because you never know when you’ll be thrown into the deep end. No matter what opportunities come your way, God promises to walk alongside His people, so take comfort in that fact.

Remaining teachable means being open to learning hard lessons. To be teachable means to learn from your experience and the experience of others. You will make mistakes—quote the wrong person, laugh at something no one else thinks is funny, not be sensitive to the moment, offend someone unintentionally. But all of those moments are designed to help you learn from them and grow. If you stay teachable, you don’t have to let previous failures keep you from moving forward.

Doing the right thing for the right reason is like failure insurance. In the process of failing, try to treat people well and do everything with a high level of integrity. Constantly check your motives. When you check your motives often, it’s less likely that other people will question them. No matter what happens, you can sleep well at night knowing you’ve done right by yourself and others. When you do the right thing for the right reason, people will give you grace and the benefit of the doubt when you fail because they trust who you are more than what you do.

When it comes to fighting a fear of failing, you have to frequently move toward activities that intimidate you. They build resilience. It’s only when you are willing to fail that you have a chance at succeeding. When we’re able to build the habit of doing things scared, we are able to go further than we ever could in our comfort zone. Engaging in intimidating activities has a way of making you more comfortable with taking risks rather than holding you back from pursuing your dreams. They build your confidence in God’s provision of what you need to follow what He has for you. 

Respond

What helps you do things scared? How is God’s presence reassuring as you face an intimidating opportunity?

How would you describe the attitudes and character of a person who has the habit of doing things scared?

Who can come alongside you as you be ready to move forward with the opportunities God has placed before you?