Fear can be paralyzing. It can be the most costly human emotion. 

We have Conscious Fears: those we are fully aware of. Examples include:

  • Fear of public speaking
  • Fear of business failure or financial loss
  • Fear of not meeting clients’ expectations
  • Fear of criticism or judgment

And Unconscious Fears: which are often harder to identify, manifesting as stress, hesitation, or negative self-talk, such as:

  • Fear of success, which brings higher expectations, and can lead to self-sabotage or procrastination
  • Fear of repeating past mistakes or failures
  • Fear of rejection disguised as resistance to networking
  • Fear of inadequacy or imposter syndrome showing up as perfectionism

In Work Your Network with the Four Cs, Dr. Oudi Abouchacra outlines the “4 Cs” as a framework for building strong business networks. The Four Cs focus on:

  1. Credibility – Building trust and consistency.
  2. Clarity – Communicating your value and services effectively.
  3. Connectivity – Forming meaningful, reciprocal connections.
  4. Compassion – Bringing empathy and genuine interest to relationships.

These principles are designed to create lasting, mutually beneficial connections in professional networks.

Dr. Oudi suggests the following methodology in tackling your fears and getting them out of the way of your success. 

  • Inventory your conscious and unconscious fears. 
  • Determine the source of those fears: What happened in the past that you’re afraid will happen again. 
  • Rewrite your story. Change the narrative and put your fear behind you. 

Fear is conquerable. If you fear public speaking, but have never spoken in front of a crowd, then put your name on the list and do it. Once you’ve done it once, the next time it will be a little more familiar, and a little less fearful. Take a deep breath, realize it wasn’t that bad, and then sign up to do it again.

Take steps to make the unknown known. Be aware of your mental roadblocks. Dig into your unconscious fears that might be manifesting as anxiety or even anger. If the thought of doing something makes you feel anxious, then break it down.

Turn fear into your own personal motivator. Know that you can conquer fear by rewriting your own script with affirmations. Choose one, and keep at it until it becomes so natural that it’s practically a habit. Then take on the next one. 

Yesterday’s failures are today’s opportunities and tomorrow’s successes. You’re not in this alone. Whether it’s the person next to you, across from you or somewhere outside this room, there are people in your life who would love nothing more than to help you achieve success by embracing your fears with you and encouraging you as you develop your new story. Invite them in, keep them close, and always remember to be encouraged.