Fear is prevalent in most work environments. If you have or currently work for a company, you know what I mean. Fear often emanates from within, coupled with antiquated corporate policies, and leaders who are unprepared to lead at the levels to which they have been elevated.
This often leads to an attitude of “me first” and profitability over people. Resultantly, many people are unfulfilled at work. They are reluctant to challenge the status quo for fear of losing their jobs or being put on a “list” of troublemakers.
Very talented employees “play it safe” because in many cases, they can’t afford to miss a paycheck and/or their identities are tied up in their jobs.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Crystallize Your Goals to Reduce Fear and Free Yourself to Achieve all you Were Designed to Do and Be
Determine what is most important to you.
Priority areas might be faith, family, finances, health and/or career, among others. If you take the time to explore your priorities, you may find your job isn’t your top priority. Most of us need to earn an income to fund our goals. With that being the case, we need to do a better job of managing our resources.
Clarify how you currently steward the precious resources of money and time.
The financial area of life, if harnessed, can minimize fear. Unfortunately, it is an area that most people struggle with. In our world and market economy, there is very little focus on financial literacy. Are you intentional about how you spend time and money?
It is critically important that we become masters at maximizing these resources if we want to bring our whole selves to work and operate without fear.
Develop a solid and meaningful Life Plan.
A plan can be very powerful in a person’s effort to gain more control of their lives. There are many types of plans. A Life Plan allows you to gain clarity around where you’ve been, where you are now and where you’d like to go. It should encompass all of life.
- Assess where you are today.
- Determine your purpose, vision and mission.
- Then determine your priority areas of life, set goals in each area, along with action steps.
This process doesn’t happen overnight and takes effort. It also takes reflection and deep contemplation.
Get a Financial Plan.
Financial planning is often depicted as something reserved for the privileged few. That is untrue. Every person should have a Financial Plan, regardless of net worth or level of income.
A Financial Plan can be a great tool to help you consciously determine how you will fund your life goals. A plan can consist of
- cash flow
- retirement
- education
- estate planning
- Insurance and
- so much more.
If you don’t have a plan, I encourage you to take a first step today. It might mean reaching out to a fiduciary fee-only financial advisor who can serve as a coach in helping you develop a Financial Plan. This will provide a sense of peace and can also contribute to an increased level of confidence and comfort at work.
Planning well can give you more confidence in all areas of life. You will gradually come to the realization that regardless of what happens with your job, you have a safety net.
The fear that you currently feel at work will diminish over time. Who knows, you might develop the confidence to help change the culture of your business/organization and serve as a mentor to others, freeing them from fear as well.
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