Simple Steps to Overcome the Fear of Failure, Keep the Faith, and Let Your Light Shine in the World

By Lisa Nichols

I’ve reached a time in my life where things sort of feel SURREAL. Surreal because AS I’m living inside my own life experience, I am completely blown away by the life experience I’m living.

But it was not always that way. I have had a lot of very REAL moments. Real moments filled with struggle, doubt, loneliness and questioning myself.

I can’t tell you how many times over the past 20 years I thought “Yup, I’m gonna be out of business in 30 days, or 30 minutes, or had no idea how I was gonna pay this bill or that bill. 

I think back to my very first office which was a tiny walk-in closet. Now I look around and see a team of amazing people around me. This is so powerful because for so long, I was in this alone. Nobody understood my vision. Heck, even I couldn’t explain or clearly define it. 

So, when I see this incredible growth and reflect back on how I overcame the fear of failure over the past 20 years, I realized there was one common denominator and resource I harnessed every single time.
 

Overcoming Fear of Failure

My RESILIENCE and WILLPOWER were greater than any CIRCUMSTANCE around me. The fire in my belly was SO strong that even though I was deep in debt, my will and resiliency were deeper.

And that’s why I’m on fire now for teaching people all over the world how to master GETTING BACK UP and bouncing back.

You see, your past does not equal your future. Your yesterday does not equal your today or tomorrow. So, the mistakes of last month or last year DO NOT define your next decision.

Reinvention is available to everybody every day! There’s a whole lotta “RE’s” you can do – RESET, RESTART, REBOOT, RECOMMIT, RECHARGE, REDESIGN, and REDIRECT. 

The “RE’s” are the story of my life. The “RE’s” saved me from being 30 days or 30 minutes away from shutting down my business. When I felt like quitting it all, I’d stop and recommit. I’d redesign the strategy and release the old strategy that wasn’t working.

So, I challenge you to ask yourself this question:

What vision in your heart or calling on your soul is so strong that you are willing to climb over any circumstance or obstacle that comes your way? The one where there is no plan B, so you just keep tweaking plan A?
 

Keeping the Faith

One of the questions I get asked a lot is: “Lisa…how do you keep the faith when things feel like they’re falling apart?”

It’s easy to keep your eye on the prize and the big vision when things are going great, and you can SEE IT, FEEL IT and maybe even TASTE IT within reach. 

But the true test of faith comes when the challenges happen. When the NOW happens.

When there are health challenges… financial challenges… naysayer challenges… time challenges.

I’ve been in these EXACT situations. I could visualize my dreams, my mission, and my “no matter what”. I was keeping my eyes focused ahead, yet I’d look down at my NOW and see my 8-month old son, Jelani, next to me wrapped in a towel because I could not afford pampers.

So how did I keep the faith when there were bumps in the road? I created my own definition of the word “FAITH” and embraced it every day.

Faith means:

• The ability to see the unseen.
• To stand on what you know, not what you see or hear.
• To FEEL so much in your spirit and soul that you don’t NEED to see the physical proof.

• To know you WILL get knocked down, but also know you are PREPARED to get right back up again. 

What does faith mean to you? I challenge you to come up with your own definition, or feel free to borrow mine. Once you give meaning to the word, the word takes on new meaning in your life.
 

Letting Your Light Shine

For a long time, I knew I had this inner light in me. But I was afraid to let it shine. I didn’t know how to fully unleash it. I didn’t know how my friends and family would react. I didn’t know how I would fund my dream. I didn’t know who I would become if I allowed it to shine. 

The only thing I DID KNOW was that shining my light DID NOT come with an instruction manual!

I had to really turn inward. I had to ask myself: How would I feel if I got to the end of my life and realized I was not playing full out?

I want you to ask yourself:

• How brightly are you letting your inner light shine?
• Are you at maximum wattage or do you still have your dimmer switch on? 
• What is it costing you to NOT let your light shine as brightly as possible?
• What would it look like to give 100% of yourself? Or maybe even squeezing out 120%?

• How can you let your light shine just a little brighter this week?

I want you to live a life with NO REGRETS. I want you to LEAP even when you are scared. I want you to understand that you only have ONE JOB and that’s to let your light shine. 

And that DOES NOT have to be from a stage or some ginormous gesture out in public.

Letting your light shine can be as simple as saying I love you or I forgive you or just showing up, being in the room, playing full out, and spreading a little love to someone around you.

The world is waiting for your gifts and your message. There is someone, somewhere at this very moment who needs to hear what you have to say.

Now, go out and shine that beautiful light of yours! 
 

Lisa Nichols is one of the world’s most-requested motivational speakers, as well as a media personality and corporate CEO whose global platform has served nearly 30 million people. From a struggling single mom on public assistance to a millionaire entrepreneur, Lisa’s courage and determination has inspired fans worldwide and helped countless audiences break through to discover their own untapped talents and infinite potential.

As founder and CEO of Motivating the Masses, Inc. — one of the country’s only publicly traded personal and business development training companies — Lisa has helped develop workshops and programs that have transformed the lives of thousands and altered the trajectory of businesses. 

Lisa is also a bestselling author of seven books, including her latest, Abundance Now, which provides a clear and practical blueprint for personal success. It’s the eagerly-anticipated follow-up to Lisa’s New York Times bestseller, No Matter What!. Lisa has appeared on Dr Phil, Oprah, The Today Show, and the Steve Harvey Show. Through Lisa’s nonprofit foundation, Motivating the Teen Spirit, she has touched the lives of 211,650 teens, supported 2,500 dropouts in returning to school, and has helped thousands reunite with families.

Among the prestigious awards and honors bestowed upon Lisa for her extensive work are the Humanitarian Award from the country of South Africa, The Ambassador Award, and the LEGO Foundation‘s Heart of Learning Award. Lisa lives, plays and works in the greater San Diego, California area and on stages around the world, working alongside her world-class team committed to Motivating the Masses.

Click here to visit Lisa’s website.