Break Free from Fear and Thrive

2025-04-19 ~ adminlife

Fear is part of every person’s journey. Whether you’re starting a business, entering a relationship or making a major life decision, fear tags along. But the difference between those who struggle and those who succeed isn’t about eliminating fear — it’s about taking action in spite of it.

Before you can start to plan your success goals, there are many things that you need to understand before you can be sure that the goals you set are really the ones you want.

One of those things is to determine if there are any Limiting Beliefs that can stop you from actually achieving those goals.

I have a self-study Limiting Belief Program that you can go through to determine what your Limiting Beliefs are and how you can remove them.

You can read more and register for the program at Limiting Beliefs Program on my Confidence and Life Coaching website.

Start your journey on your path to success by identifying and removing your Limiting Beliefs so that you make the journey a lot easier.

You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.

The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address) Limiting Beliefs Download

Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.

If you are ready to move even further into the process of Identifying and removing and replacing your Limiting Beliefs, you should consider my short Limiting Belief’s Coaching Program

Success is not a straight line. It’s messy, uncertain, and full of moments where your confidence is tested. But what sets high achievers apart is that they act, repeatedly, even when they’re afraid. This post outlines how to face fear directly, take meaningful action and build confidence by doing the hard things.

1. Decide That You Will Succeed

Success begins with a decision — a real one. Not “I’ll try this and see what happens,” but “I will succeed no matter what.” The Latin root of “decide” means “to cut off.” When you decide to succeed, you cut off all other possibilities — including failure, excuses and fear-based hesitation.

This kind of mental commitment makes fear irrelevant. Fear thrives on uncertainty. When there’s no room for negotiation, fear has nowhere to hide. Your decision becomes your anchor.

2. Face Risk, Don’t Avoid It

Most people back away when things feel risky. But successful people run toward risk because they understand this truth: everything you want is on the other side of fear.

Pick up the phone and make the uncomfortable call. Send the pitch. Raise your hand. Speak your truth. Risk isn’t something to be feared — it’s a sign you’re growing. And if something scares you, it probably matters.

You don’t need to be reckless. You need to be bold.

3. Prepare for What You Can

Fear often shows up in the form of worry — especially about things we suspect could go wrong. Instead of letting that turn into paralysis, use it as fuel. If you anticipate challenges, prepare for them.

Build your skillset. Create backup plans. Talk to people who’ve done it before. Do the mental rehearsal. The more prepared you are, the less room fear has to run the show.

Preparedness builds confidence, and confidence reduces fear.

4. Live in the Moment

Fear lives in the future — in the “what ifs” that haven’t even happened yet. When you live in the present, you take away fear’s power.

Stop reliving mistakes. Stop pre-living disasters. Be where your feet are. The present moment is manageable. Fear thrives in imagination, not reality.

Let go of resistance and focus on what you can do right now. Action is grounded in presence. Anxiety is rooted in the unknown.

5. Expect Good Outcomes

Most people brace for the worst. They picture everything going wrong before they even start. But that mindset guarantees hesitation.

Flip it.

Start expecting things to work out. Visualize success. Think through the best-case scenario. Sure, obstacles might appear — but you can deal with them. If you’re expecting the worst, you’ll freeze. If you’re expecting success, you’ll act.

Mindset sets the tone for performance.

6. Use Your Breath to Stay Calm

When fear takes over, the first thing to change is your body. Your breath becomes shallow. Your muscles tense. Your heart rate spikes.

You can’t always control your emotions, but you can control your breathing — and your breath influences your entire nervous system.

Slow, deep breaths signal safety to your brain. Breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, out for four. Repeat. This small habit can keep you grounded in high-stress moments.

7. Disengage from Negativity

Your environment affects your mindset. If you’re constantly exposed to negativity — especially through the news, social media or toxic people — fear becomes your baseline.

You don’t need to be uninformed. But doom-scrolling and dwelling in negativity won’t help you grow. Choose experiences that build you up. Play music. Get outside. Try something new. Learn something just for fun.

Confidence grows when your days are filled with meaningful, uplifting activity.

8. Know That You Are Enough

This one is simple but powerful: You are enough.

Even if you don’t have all the answers or experience yet, that doesn’t mean you’re not capable. Confidence doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from progress.

Work with what you’ve got, right now. Then build from there. Every successful person started with limited knowledge. But they believed they could figure it out — and they did. So can you.

9. Start Small, Build Fast

You don’t need to conquer your biggest fear today. You just need to take the first small step.

Make a list of the tasks you’ve been avoiding — from least intimidating to most. Then do the easiest one. Once it’s done, do the next. Momentum creates confidence.

Break your fear down into manageable pieces. Focus only on the step in front of you. By the time you reach the scarier items, you’ll already be stronger.

Fear Doesn’t Get to Win

Fear doesn’t have to disappear for you to succeed. It just has to take the passenger seat. You can be scared and still act. You can be uncertain and still move forward.

That’s how freedom works — not by waiting for fear to leave, but by moving forward anyway. Action is the cure. Decide to win. Chase risk. Prepare wisely. Expect the best. Stay grounded. And most of all — never forget that you are more capable than your fear wants you to believe.

To talk about any aspect of success or working with a Life Coach to help you to achieve success, you can book a 30-minute call by clicking on the blue button below.

Don’t try to do all of this by yourself, ask and receive the guidance that can get you moving towards your own success.

Working together can help you overcome personal and professional barriers, ensuring you reach your highest potential.

Nothing happens until action is taken.

To your success.

Michael

P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching

P.P.S. If you enjoy reading these articles on my blog, I have more books that have more of this type of information that you can find out more about at Books to Read. You can buy these ebooks at many on-line book stores. The links to the bookstores are at the link above.

P.P.P.S. You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.

The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address) Limiting Beliefs Download

Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.

P.P.P.P.S. If you are ready to move even further into the process of Identifying and removing and replacing your Limiting Beliefs, you should consider my short Limiting Belief’s Coaching Program

Photo by Cristi Ursea on Unsplash

Are You Truly Ready to Change?

2025-04-18 ~ adminlife

Change sounds exciting. A better life. New possibilities. More confidence. But the hard truth is that many people say they want change while subconsciously doing everything they can to stay exactly where they are.

They buy the courses. They build the website. They dream about starting fresh. But when it’s time to actually begin, fear rushes in like a flood, and suddenly there’s a reason to delay — again.

Confidence in your abilities to go after your goals can sometimes be difficult to find or keep.

It can sometimes take time to discover the confidence you have inside you. This can be especially true if you are trying something new.

I have a program that can help you to discover what is holding you back from achieving your goals as well as help you set an attainable goal related to where you are in your life and where you are trying to be.

This program also works with you to build up your confidence in being able to reach your goal.

You can find out more about this program at Confidology, a funny name but a serious program.

You can contact me to talk about this or any other aspect of confidence and success at michael@coachmichaelw.com

Visit the site and read through the program description.

If you are not ready to commit to a full program, I have a self-paced course on Udemy that may be of interest. You can find out about the course and register at Confidence and Motivation Development and Maintenance

This isn’t laziness. It’s fear in disguise. And until it’s addressed, change will always remain just out of reach.

The Illusion of Wanting Change

On the surface, it looks like you’re working toward your goals. You might be:

Researching endlessly
Investing in tools or coaching
Planning out every detail

But when the moment to act comes — when you need to hit “publish,” schedule the meeting or show up for the first real step — something stops you.

That something is fear.

The Real Reason You’re Not Changing

Fear is a master of disguise. It doesn’t always scream. Often, it whispers:

What if you fail?
What if you succeed, and can’t handle it?
What will people think of you?

This internal resistance can be stronger than any external challenge. The mind chooses safety — even if safety is miserable — over the unknown. It tricks you into staying put.

And so the cycle continues: you plan, get excited, then stall. Again and again.

This creates frustration, guilt and shame — which only deepens the pattern. Over time, it wears down your self-esteem and convinces you you’re not cut out for more.

But that’s a lie. And it’s time to break the cycle.

Recognize the Signs

If this sounds like your life, you’re not alone. Many people live mostly in their heads — dreaming, doubting and stalling while looking “busy.” They’re surrounded by friends but feel isolated. They feel stuck, not because they lack potential, but because they’re afraid of what stepping into that potential might mean.

Recognizing this is step one. The next step? Doing something that fear can’t fight.

The Breakthrough: Stop Focusing on Yourself

Here’s the shift: focus less on what you want to change for you, and more on how your actions can impact others.

One of the fastest ways to get out of your own head is to help someone else. Volunteer. Support a cause. Mentor someone. Do anything that requires your energy, attention and follow-through — for the benefit of someone who needs you.

Why does this work?

Because when people depend on you, you show up.

Helping others pulls you out of the loop of self-criticism and into purposeful action. It boosts your self-worth not by thinking better thoughts — but by proving to yourself that you make a difference.

Purpose > Perfection

When you work for someone else’s benefit, perfection fades into the background. What matters is showing up. Following through. Being present. Taking action.

As you do this, your anxiety lowers and your confidence grows. You’re not overthinking. You’re doing. And with every helpful action, your fear shrinks, your self-esteem rises, and you gain momentum.

Over time, this becomes your new normal: showing up, taking action and making an impact.

Discovering Fulfillment Through Action

Here’s the most powerful part: once you begin to act — consistently — for the good of others, you start feeling something you may not have felt in a long time.

Fulfillment.

Helping others fills a part of your spirit that nothing else can. It makes your work matter. It gives meaning to your skills. And when you realize your actions are creating real change in real lives, the anxiety, perfectionism and self-doubt that once ruled your life start to fall away.

You see yourself differently. You feel different. Because you are different.

Make a Decision — Then Follow Through

Change happens when you decide to act. Not just once — but again and again.

Your path forward isn’t found in endless preparation. It’s found in doing. Even imperfectly.

Yes, you’ll make mistakes. Yes, you’ll have doubts. But mistakes can be fixed. Doubt can be challenged. What matters most is that you keep making decisions and taking steps.

Stuck is a choice. So is forward.

You Only Get One Life

This isn’t a rehearsal. You don’t get a second round. This is your life, and you deserve to live it with purpose, passion and confidence.

Waiting for the perfect moment means you’ll wait forever. Instead, decide now to start where you are. Use what you have. Focus on who you can help. And keep going.

Change won’t happen instantly. But if you act in spite of fear, consistently, your future will look very different — because you will be different.

Others Will Notice What You Don’t

Here’s a truth most people overlook: you won’t always see your own transformation. But others will.

People will tell you you seem stronger. Braver. More alive. More “you.”

That’s because helping others doesn’t just change their lives — it reveals your true self. The part of you that isn’t held back by fear. The part that’s been waiting to lead. The part that finally knows: you’re more than enough.

And when you live from that place, change isn’t hard. It’s natural.

To talk about any aspect of success or working with a Life Coach to help you to achieve success, you can book a 30-minute call by clicking on the blue button below.

Don’t try to do all of this by yourself, ask and receive the guidance that can get you moving towards your own success.

Working together can help you overcome personal and professional barriers, ensuring you reach your highest potential.

Nothing happens until action is taken.

To your success.

Michael

P.S Don’t forget to visit Confidology to learn more about the program. If you are not ready to commit to a full program, I have a self-paced course on Udemy that may be of interest. You can find out about the course and register at Confidence and Motivation Development and Maintenance

P.P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching

P.P.P.S. If you enjoy reading these articles on my blog, I have more books that have more of this type of information that you can find out more about at Books to Read. You can buy these ebooks at many on-line book stores. The links to the bookstores are at the link above.

Photo by Kiet Ho on Unsplash

The Key to Growth and Respect Is Taking Responsibility

2025-04-16 ~ adminlife

Mistakes are inevitable. No matter how skilled, careful or experienced you are, you will make errors. What truly defines a person is not the absence of mistakes but how they handle them. Owning up to your mistakes is one of the most powerful ways to build trust, strengthen relationships and grow as an individual. Yet, many people struggle with this, resorting to blame-shifting or denial to avoid the discomfort of admitting fault.

Confidence in your abilities to go after your goals can sometimes be difficult to find or keep.

It can sometimes take time to discover the confidence you have inside you. This can be especially true if you are trying something new.

This program also works with you to build up your confidence in being able to reach your goal.

You can find out more about this program at Confidology, a funny name but a serious program.

You can contact me to talk about this or any other aspect of confidence and success at michael@coachmichaelw.com

Visit the site and read through the program description.

By taking responsibility, you not only demonstrate integrity but also position yourself as a leader and role model. This article explores why owning up to mistakes matters, how to do it effectively, and how to deal with the consequences constructively.

Why People Avoid Admitting Mistakes

Many people fear admitting mistakes because they associate it with failure or weakness. In reality, refusing to take responsibility can cause more damage than the mistake itself. Here are some common reasons people struggle with owning their mistakes:

1. Fear of Judgment

Nobody likes to be seen as incompetent. People worry that admitting a mistake will make them look weak, unqualified or unreliable.

2. Fear of Consequences

Mistakes can have real consequences — lost opportunities, damaged reputations or disciplinary action. The fear of facing these outcomes leads many to cover up their errors.

3. Knee-Jerk Reactions

In moments of stress or panic, people sometimes instinctively blame others before even processing what happened. This immediate reaction can cause long-term trust issues.

4. Pride and Ego

Some people simply don’t want to admit they’re wrong. A strong ego can make it difficult to acknowledge mistakes, even when the truth is obvious.

5. Workplace or Social Pressure

In environments where mistakes are harshly punished, people feel pressured to hide them rather than address them honestly. A culture of blame discourages accountability.

The Consequences of Blame-Shifting

When you refuse to take responsibility for your mistakes, the consequences can be more severe than the mistake itself. Here’s why:

Loss of Trust: People will see you as unreliable and dishonest if you consistently shift blame.
Damaged Relationships: Blaming others erodes friendships, partnerships and professional relationships.
Increased Stress: Knowing you’ve lied or misled others can lead to guilt, anxiety and sleepless nights.
Reputation Damage: A single dishonest moment can define how people see you for years.
Missed Growth Opportunities: Every mistake carries a lesson. If you refuse to acknowledge your errors, you miss out on learning and improving.

How to Take Responsibility for Your Mistakes

Owning up to your mistakes is not just about saying “I was wrong.” It requires action, reflection, and a commitment to improvement. Here’s how to do it effectively:

1. Pause Before Reacting

When a mistake happens, resist the urge to react impulsively. Take a moment to process the situation before responding. This prevents knee-jerk reactions like blaming others.

2. Acknowledge the Mistake Clearly

Be direct. Avoid vague apologies or excuses. Say, “I made a mistake, and I take full responsibility for it.” Acknowledging the error openly prevents speculation and confusion.

3. Avoid Making Excuses

It’s tempting to soften the blow by offering excuses, but this weakens your accountability. Instead of saying, “I messed up, but it wasn’t really my fault,” simply admit the mistake without justifying it.

4. Make Things Right

Whenever possible, take corrective action. If your mistake caused harm or inconvenience, find ways to fix it. Whether it’s apologizing to someone, correcting an error or offering a solution, making amends shows sincerity.

5. Learn From It

Every mistake is a learning opportunity. Reflect on what went wrong and how you can prevent it in the future. Demonstrating a willingness to improve turns your mistake into a stepping stone for growth.

Dealing with People Who React Negatively

Not everyone will respond to your honesty with kindness. Some people may use your mistake against you, and others may be unwilling to forgive. Here’s how to handle difficult reactions:

1. Stay Calm and Professional

If someone tries to shame or embarrass you for your mistake, don’t react emotionally. Stay composed and focus on resolving the issue rather than defending yourself.

2. Accept That Some People Won’t Forgive

No matter how sincere you are, some people won’t let go of your mistake. That’s their burden to carry, not yours. If you’ve done everything possible to make amends, move forward.

3. Avoid Being Defensive

When someone criticizes you, it’s easy to become defensive. Instead, acknowledge their perspective and shift the focus to what can be done to fix the situation.

4. Know When to Move On

In some cases, your mistake may have long-term consequences, like needing to find a new job or repairing a damaged relationship. While this can be difficult, remember that mistakes do not define you — how you respond to them does.

The Long-Term Benefits of Taking Responsibility

Although admitting mistakes can be uncomfortable, the long-term benefits far outweigh the temporary discomfort.

Increased Trust: People respect honesty. Admitting mistakes builds credibility.
Stronger Relationships: Owning your mistakes fosters open communication and deeper connections.
Improved Problem-Solving Skills: Facing mistakes head-on teaches resilience and adaptability.
Greater Self-Confidence: The ability to admit and correct mistakes leads to personal growth and a stronger sense of integrity.

By taking ownership of your actions, you set a positive example for others. Leaders, in particular, benefit from modeling accountability. A team that sees their leader taking responsibility will be more likely to do the same.

Final Thoughts

Mistakes are part of life. They don’t define you, but how you handle them does. Avoiding responsibility may feel easier in the moment, but in the long run, it damages trust, relationships and personal growth. By owning up to your mistakes, making amends and learning from them, you not only build integrity but also create opportunities for success.

Taking responsibility is not a weakness — it’s a sign of strength, maturity and confidence. So the next time you make a mistake, face it head-on. You’ll be respected more for it, and more importantly, you’ll respect yourself.

To talk about any aspect of success or working with a Life Coach to help you to achieve success, you can book a 30-minute call by clicking on the blue button below.

Don’t try to do all of this by yourself, ask and receive the guidance that can get you moving towards your own success.

Working together can help you overcome personal and professional barriers, ensuring you reach your highest potential.

Nothing happens until action is taken.

To your success.

Michael

P.P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching

Photo by Google DeepMind on Unsplash

Create a Vision Board That Actually Works

2025-04-09 ~ adminlife

Vision boards are often written off as wishful thinking or trendy “manifestation” gimmicks. But when used properly, they can be a powerful tool to help you stay focused, motivated and aligned with your goals.

A vision board isn’t magic. It won’t make your dream life appear without effort. What it will do is keep your most important goals front and centre, helping you take consistent action and stay emotionally connected to your vision. Think of it as a compass that reminds you where you’re going — and why you’re going there.