How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you climb a ladder?
One rung at a time. How do you build confidence? One step at a time. As
Aristotle reminds us, whatever we learn to do, we learn by doing it.
Change makes most of us feel uncomfortable. It arouses anxiety. But when you
take small steps, the anxiety is more manageable. That’s why it’s important to
have a go at things which you would previously have found scary on a regular
basis. Do you find it hard to talk to people? Strike up a conversation with one
new person every day! Do you keep quiet even when you have something to say?
Speak up, say your piece! You gain encouragement and feel more confident every
time you build on each small success.
Don’t let uncomfortable feelings stop you, they come partly from your subcon-
scious programming and partly from what you tell yourself about the situation.
Stay calm, change the self-talk (using the Four Step Method), and persevere.
Remember, courage is not the absence of fear, but ignoring fear and proceeding
in spite of it.
(^14) Eat an elephant