Fear is a normal part of life for all living creatures. And, before anyone starts thinking that fear is a bad thing, or something to well, fear, let me assure of this: fear can sometimes be a very, very good thing indeed. When you can learn to figure out your fear, to know what triggers that gut-wrenching feeling of utter terror, then you can finally start to work toward controlling it. Fear will never be completely defeated, destroyed or silenced, but starting to recognize it as the positive that it can be the first step to harnessing its awesome power.

Think of the things that you fear. Not the things that you are afraid of like spiders and clowns, but the things that you fear – the intangible, abstract concepts that rock you to your very core, and keep you awake at night. Fear is the feeling that you are about to have a major problem- that something is about to go horribly wrong, or horribly right. It is the stress that you feel just before you head into a big presentation, or the sweat that pours down your face at night when you think you are not going to make quota. Fear can be huge motivator as well as a very loud critic to contend with.

For business people of every level, one major fear trigger is the fear of success. Most people assume that that means the fear of not having success, but surprisingly, many people are just as afraid of actually succeeding as they are of failing. They may allow this fear to control them and make stupid decisions that could jeopardize their business and success. They know that they need to provide excellent customer service for instance, but allow themselves to hire inept, rude agents that drive off far more customers than they ever serve. Regardless of the how and the why, the fear of success triggers them to behave in a way that is counterproductive to business success.

Once you can recognize the trigger for you own personal fear, you can start controlling it. If you know that you fear being poor, for instance, you will be more motivated to do well in business and to succeed financially. In this case, the fear is a valuable tool, one that is likely to keep you moving forward as you work toward a level of success that will allay those fears once and for all. Never allow this to happen! Never allow yourself to say “I have conquered fear.” The fear will keep you moving, always.

Of course, if you allow the fear to get too big, if you allow it to have more power, it will engulf you. You will not be able to function properly because the fear keeps you awake at night, stops you from eating healthfully or from exercising. Your health and fitness starts to become affected. The fear moves from a rational, real feeling to an irrational monster that is ready to attack and destroy everything in its path. Fear then moves from “fear” to Fear and you are powerless to act against it.

Confronting your fears head on begins with knowing what they are, by recognizing them for what they are. Give your fear a name, a title and you start to gain control of it. Think of this analogy: A dog, a giant, slobbering beast of a dog greets you as you walk down the sidewalk in your neighborhood. You have not seen this creature before and you immediately feel the heart pounding fear send waves of adrenaline coursing through you. Frozen, you helplessly look around for assistance or at least a stick to defend yourself with. You are at the mercy of not only the large dog, but the fear that you feel as well.

Take the same scenario, but you know the dog this time. Still a large and slobbering beast, this dog is more undisciplined than vicious but a danger all the same. The dog takes a stiff-legged step toward you, growling low in his throat as a warning. The same heart pounding fear sends the same flood of adrenaline through your body, but this time you pull yourself up straight and tall and shout, “ Bone-Crusher, you go home now.” The dog recognizes his name and assumes that you are in some control of him. Shrugging his beefy shoulders, he goes on home. You did not conquer the fear, although you did send it home. You did identify it, you spoke its name and you control it.

Never think that you can be or should be free from fear in all its forms. You need some fear to keep you motivated. Identify and name the fear and its triggers and then you can do something even better than killing it off- you can control it.