"Having courage does not mean that we are unafraid.  Having courage and showing courage mean we face our fears.  We are able to say "I have fallen but I will get up." 

- Maya Angelou 
 

Let’s face it: we all have fears.  Maybe it’s public speaking.  Maybe it’s walking into a dark room.  Maybe, like me, you have a fear of heights.  

Our professional lives are equally scary.  There are cold calls to make, presentations to give, investments to make.  Sometimes, we have to stick our neck out to the boss. What happens if we mess up? 

But being afraid isn’t the end of the story.  It’s what we do with that fear.  

A useful strategy to overcome this is Mel Robbins’ 5 Second Rule.  Robbins’ rule is simple. “If you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill it.” 

The moment you feel an instinct to take action, move within five seconds.  Don’t let your brain catch up to your body’s decision to make that “risky” choice. 

Real Estate Agent Ryan Serhant follows a similar strategy, saying “Ready, Set, Go” to himself whenever he is about to undertake a tough task. 

Courage is not about lacking fear.  Having courage is about facing our fears and living life on our own terms. 
This post is from our new series, Daily Momentum.  Each morning, we send a short, inspirational post via email, blog and podcast.  You can get it directly to your email here.  You can subscribe on iTunes here .