135: From Anxiety to Action - How to Stop Letting Fear Control Your Life!

Hey y’all! In this episode, I’m breaking down how the stories we tell ourselves can stop us dead in our tracks. I’m sharing a personal story about taking my daughter, Anna Jo, to get her ears pierced and how her excitement quickly turned into anxiety. The way she battled that fear reminded me so much of the struggles we face as entrepreneurs—letting our fears and negative thoughts hold us back from the things we want the most.

I also get into some of my own battles with fear, like the time I had to give a big presentation in front of seasoned speakers and how the stories in my head almost made me back out. Spoiler alert: when we take action, it’s rarely as bad as we imagine!

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the fears in your head are almost always worse than reality.
• How breaking down your fear into small steps can help you move forward.
• Why action is the cure to fear.
• How reflecting on past successes can give you the courage to keep going.

Key Moments:

1. Anna Jo’s Ear Piercing Adventure: What started as excitement turned into full-on anxiety for my daughter. Her fear of pain, regret, and everything in between almost kept her from reaching her goal. Sound familiar? I talk through how this relates to your journey as an entrepreneur.

2. My Fear of Speaking: I open up about the time I was almost too scared to give a big presentation in front of professional speakers. How did I get through it? I did it afraid, and guess what? The reality was way better than the stories in my head.

3. Three Simple Tips to Overcome Fear:

   • Acknowledge the Fear: It’s okay to feel it—just don’t let it control you.
   • Break it Down: Focus on taking one small step at a time.
   • Reflect on Success: Look back on times when things worked out and use that as fuel.

Quotes from the Show:

• "The fears in our head are almost always worse than the reality."
• "Action cures fear. The more you do, the more confident you get."
• "When we just take the first step, we realize the story in our head wasn’t true."

Take Action: I want you to think about what fears or stories are holding you back right now. Then, break it down and take that first step. I promise you, once you get moving, things won’t seem so scary.

Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed today’s episode, make sure you subscribe to The Shane Sams Show so you never miss an episode. And if you’ve got a minute, I’d love a 5-star review! It helps more people find the show, and I read every single one of them.

Want More from Shane?
If you want to learn more about how I can help you overcome your fears and take action, head over to ShaneSams.com. You’ll find tons of free resources, plus info about my coaching program and membership community. Let’s light it up, y’all!