To Reduce Fear

Hey, wait. Why not "To eliminate fear?"

Because some fear is positive. It can be an alarm bell and an energy boost. Complete calm may be too damned passive. Leaders who resemble clams are rarely effective.

What can you do to reduce fear? Here are some items that are helpful:

• Do your homework. You know when you haven't put in enough time and if there are gaps in your plan of action. Unless you're heavily into blissful ignorance, you'll sense when there is more, given your resources, that can be done.
• Simplify. The simpler the plan of action, the less there is to control and the more control you have of the situation, the less you have to fear. Just make sure that you don't simplify too much.
• Rein in your imagination. This is a real danger for creative types who can think of 12 worst case scenarios within seconds. What are the real odds that those will happen? Remote. Churchill once observed that in his life he had worried about a great many things, some of which actually happened.
• Care less. Screw it. There are such things as over-preparation and caring too much. You will reach a point where you have to focus on being focused. That will demand some healthy indifference to the fringes, those spots where fear often dwells. The plan is now the plan. Stow the fear and execute vigorously.