Be Fearless

The ability to remain calm, collected, and fearless under duress is not a personality feature or an innate trait, believe it or not. It's a skill that can be honed through time. When we are under duress or worried, it is all too simple to think about all of the terrible consequences and adopt a doomed mindset.

How often do you come out of a scenario when you were under a lot of stress and realize, "Oh, this wasn't that bad?"

Learning how to regain control of the situation is the key to remaining courageous under pressure. After all, most of the anxiety arises from a lack of control over the situation. Here are a few things you can do right now to start learning to be courageous under pressure.

Recognize the circumstance

The most common source of anxiety is not knowing what lies on the other side of a task, a challenge, or a difficult situation. When we don't know what to expect, our minds fill in the blanks, which can lead to nightmares and pessimism for some. Taking the initiative to comprehend the circumstance is one of the most effective methods to overcome this mental process.

Rather than approaching it with a sense of apprehension and worry, see what you can learn about the circumstance. This will allow you to gradually regain control of the issue, giving you the confidence to face it.

Every unpleasant day will pass; focus on the positive.

When you're in the midst of a scenario that puts you under a lot of stress, it's difficult to look past the problems you're dealing with right now. The nice thing about bad days, though, is that they only last a day — not a year, a decade, or a lifetime.

You can get perspective and recognize that you don't have to squander your energy or concerns in a temporary scenario by telling yourself, "Today will be rough; tomorrow will be better."

You can do it if you believe in yourself.

We often don't believe we are strong enough to be fearless, or we don't believe it is something that can be learnt because we don't have a naturally outspoken nature. That could not be further from the truth. You may not be able to control every scenario you encounter, but you do have influence over how you respond to it.

You have the option of responding to a great deal of stress with a fearless attitude and a determination to take charge and do what you need to do to get out of the weeds. All you have to do now is trust that you are capable of overcoming the obstacle.

Consider a more tranquil scene.

If you're feeling particularly anxious or as if you're under an impossible amount of pressure, try to take a few seconds to relax. Close your eyes and imagine yourself somewhere else.

You can float on top of the waves in a tranquil, crystal-clear tropical ocean or inhale the fresh, revitalizing air of a silent, snow-covered mountain peak.

You will be able to regain control and respond to the situation efficiently after you can slow down your pulse rate and calm down your body.

Have a backup plan in place.

It's never a bad idea to have backup plans A through Z in your back pocket. Preparing for a problem and thinking about how you'll react if something goes wrong offers you a sense of control and allows you to approach stressful circumstances with confidence.

You know that if something goes wrong, you'll be ready to handle it; this will improve your confidence immediately.

You're also accepting that your world won't end if something doesn't work out if you have a backup plan. Because you've previously planned for it, you have a future beyond the task at hand!