Steps to get over the fear of starting something new today!
By Shihab Sharar Isa
“I really want to start that YouTube channel!”, “I really want to learn that musical instrument!”, “I really want to run for that university student council position!” – We’ve all had these thoughts during one point or another in our lives. Due to commitments at work, school or university, unforeseen events in life, or just the fear of being judged: something usually stops us from taking that first step or continuing where we started. So, what can we do to finally take that leap of faith? That’s what I’ll share with you in this article: tips about how to overcome your fears and start the thing you’ve always wanted to start, from my experiences thus far.
Since I had the opportunity to come to Australia for my undergraduate studies back in 2018, before stepping foot on the plane I was about to aboard, I promised myself one thing – Over the next 3 years I would try and do things that I didn’t have the courage to do back in high-school. Now, two years on I can say that I stayed true to my promise. From the first day of orientation, I spoke to heaps of people and constantly looked for any kind of opportunities that aligned with my interests. I started volunteering for MONSU Peninsula, our university student council, as well as made some great friends at the start. I loved the friendly vibe of the student council, and a year on, I applied for the role of International Student Officer and successfully got elected! This may sound like I am being modest but looking back, it genuinely surprised me! I didn’t go into the election with the thought solely on winning, but I treated it like a new adventure. It was just good fortune that the students on campus put their trust and voted for me. I am still running for the position as of now, and I can whole-heartedly say that it has been the greatest experience so far: despite the pandemic, I was able to give back to international students, and got the opportunity to work alongside some great individuals.
I also love playing and watching football, and I was unsure if there were opportunities for me to play the sport when I first came to Australia. Upon speaking to one person in my Corporations Law class back in first year, they told me about the futsal (indoor football) competition we have here at Monash, from which I joined their team and have been playing ever since. The competition was a great way to destress, as I got to play the sport I loved and made some amazing friends along the way.
One last thing I wanted to explore was what I could do with my passion for playing the acoustic guitar. Since the age of 12, my mom encouraged me to join a music academy, from which my love for guitar started. Although I had not played in a while, I used quarantine as an opportunity to get into learning multiple songs on the instrument. I learnt and enjoyed playing in my own time, but I didn’t imagine I would play for audiences at 2 talent shows hosted virtually, as well as do a performance that my teacher requested me to do in 2 separate classes.
This may sound like a personal reflection for my time so far at university, but the reason I wanted to share a few of my most memorable experiences is to tell you that I was in a similar boat in which you may be in. I was a 17-year old kid entering a foreign country all by myself: I had a million doubts and fears about the next couple of years and whether I would be able to do well. However, questioning and seeking for the things I was passionate about opened an array of opportunities.
Now you may say “Wow, what an experience you’ve had!”, and looking back I would agree with you. But it isn’t to say that I didn’t have my fair share of failures, because I did. There were numerous moments during these 2 years where I struggled with self-confidence, self-doubt, as well as living with the fear of taking that first step. During my journey of trying new things, I understood plenty from my experience, so hopefully the following list I compiled will provide inspiration to start that one thing you’ve been meaning to do for a while now:
Rome wasn’t built in a day! If you’re looking at the top of the mountain, it will always seem overwhelming and unattainable. However, the first step will take you closer to that goal you want to achieve. Stephen Duneier, an American professional investment manager and Guinness World Record holder spoke about how he went from a person that had little to no focus as a kid in school, to becoming highly successful in his respective field. During his Ted Talk, he said achieving big things was to take big, ambitious projects and break them down to their simplest form to increase the odds of achieving them. Think about it in terms of a game of darts: it’s highly unlikely you will hit a bullseye with your first attempt. The more darts you throw, the more likely you are to hit the centre! One of the popular Youtubers I follow named Ali Abdaal mentions his journey on how he started a successful YouTube channel. He advised people to not overthink about the first 100 videos, as they are most likely going to be of poor quality. Once you cross that mark, you will realize where you need to improve and change. The same analogy can be applied to anything new that you want to learn. Try, fail, try, fail, and eventually, at one point or another your chance of success will significantly increase. Because, as cheesy as it sounds, it takes one moment to change everything.
- Learn to accept the failures and manage your expectations.
As I said earlier, I had my fair share of failures. In my last year of university, I applied for the position of Vice President for MONSU, but unfortunately didn’t get elected. The reason I got over the feeling of ‘failure’ fast was because I didn’t set my mind up for winning the election, as I had lowered my expectations from the get-go. When you put in the work and expect nothing in return, you pretty much won’t get phased by the outcome, but rather pleased by the experience you have been through. That was my main idea behind performing at the first talent night. I simply wanted to enjoy myself, and I didn’t even think of winning or losing. I had a lot of fun singing the song ‘Country Roads’ by John Denver to other international students all over Melbourne, that are missing home just like me – something ill cherish and remember for the rest of my life.
- Focus on what you can control.
Everyone’s got 24 hours: you, me, Bill Gates, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lebron James, and every single person on planet earth. I understand there are numerous commitments you might have to attend to, but it is still possible to make time out for the things that you truly value. Next time you ask why you are not able to achieve something, ask yourself questions such as: ‘what is holding me back?’, or ‘where is my time going?’. The sooner you realize that you are in control of your own actions and your own time, it’s only a matter of getting your priorities straight. I am sure everyone can spend 30 minutes in a day doing the thing they always wanted to do. Create a schedule the night before and execute, do some meditation to strengthen your mentality: there are numerous things you can do to better your chances of achieving the thing you want to achieve. Of course, as mentioned earlier don’t expect something in return, but just attempt and see where you land.
The more things you try as a person and the more experiences you have, the more likely you are to understand yourself and what you enjoy, as well as make some incredible memories along the way. So, take some time out over the next couple of days and list out a couple of things you have been putting off in the last couple of months, or even years – take a moment and give it a go! Who knows what will follow? That’s the excitement of life: the uncertainty associated: rather than fearing it, embrace it. The worst feeling in the world is regret, so try to do things that you will be happy with at the end of the day. I hope you got some inspiration from this article to spend time on things that truly matter to you. All the best with your journey and please let me know of any of your success stories, or a time when you overcame some form of fear and went for something!