This is the story about how I let go of fear

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It was 2015. I had recently completed the most grueling 2-year season of my life, started out on a challenging role in a multi-national organization, resigned and resumed at a start-up. I thought I was adventurous. I thought I was a risk taker. Little did I know that all I was doing was taking calculated risks. Don't get me wrong, calculated risks are great but sometimes calculations fail. After a while, I contemplated trying out for a dream role But I was scared of what would happen if I failed to get this dream role. After a lot of contemplation, I finally decided to try out for the role. I started to research, study and prepare but the process of preparation, while still doing my day job was really stressful. I almost fell ill. The truth was, the fear of failing was stressing me out more than the preparation process itself. One day, I had to get real and ask myself, Tomie, what's the worst thing that can happen?' My answer; the worst thing that can happen is, I would painfully prepare for the recruitment process but not get my dream role. That answer set me free. I acknowledged my fears and set myself free to actually enjoy the preparation process for my dream role. Did I get the role? No, I didn't. But I didn't fall down and die...Lol. I was fine. Very fine. Was it painful? Oh yes! It was. But I'm still glad I went through that process because it set me free and improved my skills significantly. Now, I grab every experience with gusto and I ask, what's the worst thing that can happen? Been there, done that. That spirit has helped me step out even more to do more and achieve more. Sometimes you need to ask yourself, 'what's the worst thing that can happen?' and do the things that scare you the most , Acknowledge your fears and get on the boat. Even if you don't get what you want, you'll be a better person from the experience. The most successful people on the planet have made the most mistakes. Think Einstein, Richard Branson, Elon Musk and so many more. Do you know that acquiring Berkshire Hathaway was Warren Buffet's biggest investment mistake? When he acquired the shirt-making company, textile manufacturing was dying in America and moving to other countries. The company eventually failed, yet inside its failure were the gems that eventually made Warren Buffet extremely rich. The more you step out, the more you see opportunities. Most of us spend our lives seeking security instead of stepping out to learn the financial skills required to make better decisions. Others are so fear conscious that they live their entire lives avoiding striking out even once. It's time to knock down your investing fears. Do something different to squash your fears this week   P.S This is the first of the series - Don't be an average investor. Sign up below to get the rest of the series in your inbox