According to psychologists, most people have a greater fear of public speaking than of death. As someone who trains speakers professionally, I can attest this is true. It certainly was for me. Even after I had been speaking publicly for years, I still struggled with fear. Even when I was well-prepared. This happened nearly every […]
Archive for Fear
Courage Is Not the Absence of Fear
Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the willingness to act in spite of my fear. Here’s how I learned this invaluable lesson.
Change Your Story, Change Your Life
If you are working hard to change your behavior and not seeing much progress, maybe it is because you are the victim of a bad story—one you can change. Here’s how.
Are You Focusing on the Obstacle or the Opportunity?
Many people fail at work and in life because they focus too much on the obstacle rather than the opportunity. Is it true in your organization?
Finding the Courage to Speak Up
I don’t like conflict. In fact, sometimes I think I am conflictaphobic. (I just made that word up.) I will do almost anything to avoid it. However, soon after I became head of one of our publishing divisions, I had to confront one of my authors. He was pleasant and cooperative when I spoke with him. But he was demanding, uncooperative, and downright nasty to my staff. Finally, one of them came to me, nearly in tears, and said, “I’m sorry, but I just can’t take it any more.” I had to make a choice.