First, one needs to believe wholeheartedly that the fear he or she faces is caused by his or her mind, instead of looking for an external cause.

Doing so would not only be futile but result in more disappointment and frustration. Turn inward and be responsible for your own emotions. The conditions you face are a reflection of your inner thoughts.

Instead of giving fear less attention, we tend to do the opposite. We talk about what we fear most, complain to family and friends and even write about it. This is because humans find comfort when they know they are not alone.

Limit or eliminate the attention you give to fear. Focus on the desired outcome you want instead. Imagine your family congratulating you on your success.

The more we focus on the desired outcome, the more motivated we become, and the more we will seek bigger challenges that reward us with better opportunities and prospects.

Be positive and genuine, and cultivate friendships with sincere people. Be selective of the types of movies you watch as they can have a powerful effect on your thinking and decision-making process.

When facing work or personal challenges, it is sometimes too easy to ask someone for advice to solve your problems.

Instead of seeking second opinions, quiet the turbulence within yourself. Learn to ask yourself different questions and have patience the answers or desired outcome will come to you. Nobody should know you better than yourself. We must reclaim the power that we already have within us and learn to be still.

During good or bad times, this means being able to hold on to your vision until it materialises.

How long it takes to reach the end point is the true test if we are indeed loyal to what we want. Changing course or giving up halfway means that our commitment is not strong.

To succeed, we must imagine ourselves achieving the desired outcome. We need to hold on to this image until we attain our goals. It is important to gain clarity on our goals before we embark on ways to achieve it.

As author and lecturer Marianne Williamson said: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. We are all meant to shine, as children do. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Tell yourself with conviction that you are powerful, and in due course, your goals will be accomplished. We must annihilate fear at all costs so that we can go on and shine for ourselves and be the light for others to follow.

Text: Desmond Chua/Straits Times