One of my favorite quotes comes from a young Australian poet, Erin Hanson: “What if I fail? Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?” The question of “What if?” speaks to both the fear that paralyzes so many of us as well as the unlimited potential should we allow ourselves to imagine. Here’s how to do the latter: First, get clarity about what you want—and what’s scaring you. You can’t successfully go after what you want until you can clearly articulate what that is. And don’t forget to fess up on what’s been holding you back. It’s okay to gravitate away from something that no longer interests you to move toward something you want. Next, ask yourself: “What’s the worst that could happen?” When you work through the worst-case scenario of taking a risky action, you might find that it’s not so bad after all. Often, what we’ve imagined in our heads is far worse than any real-life outcome. This exercise can help you diffuse the fear enough to take action. Finally, think positively and imagine the possibilities. This is the fun part. You’re now free to shift your perspective to the positive and envision your best-case scenario: What if you allowed yourself to consider the infinite possibilities? #leadership #career #mindset …see more