Last week I had the opportunity to serve as an advisor for
a group of high school students as they went through a week
long Entrepreneurship program. The program was very
educational (for me as well as the students) and the
relationships I formed with the students and other advisors
are very dear to me. What's funny is that I almost didn't
go because the program was in Youngstown Ohio, and I live
in Cincinnati. In order to get there, I had to drive 5
hours.
Okay, so some of you are thinking, what's the big deal
about driving 5 hours? For me driving 5 hours by myself
was a very BIG DEAL. I rarely do road trips alone, and
when I do they are generally short trips, less than 2 hours.
Add to that the fact that I had never been to Youngstown
before so it would be a long unfamiliar drive. I was
scared. What if I got lost? What if I fell asleep? What
if I went crazy talking to myself for 300 miles?
As you can tell by the fact that I'm writing this, I made
it to Youngstown and back safely. The trip taught me a few
lessons about tackling fear.
1. Educate yourself. Prior to my trip, I studied the
directions to get there. I wrote the instructions in big
bold print on a 3 x 5 note card for quick reference while I
was driving. The biggest thing the most people fear is the
unknown. By educating yourself about the activity that you
fear, you can take out a large chunk of unknown.
2. Plan for the expected. Falling asleep at the wheel
was my biggest concern. In addition to getting a good
night's sleep, I made 6 CDs of my favorite music and
checked out 2 audio books from the library so that I would
have some variety to keep me awake. Everything you do as
some known degree of risk involved. With proper planning
you can mitigate some of the most common risks.
3. Plan for the unexpected. Prior to leaving for my trip
I made sure my road side assistance program was paid up and
I had their card in my purse. I also took my cell phone
with me and made sure I had the car charger for it. You
can't possibly anticipate everything that could happen to
you on your journey. But you can put safe guards in place
that will allow you to respond quickly to the unexpected.
4. Check in with your friends. On my way to Youngstown,
I stopped in Columbus to have lunch with a friend. This
was a nice way to break the monotony of the ride. Your
friends are there to support you. Take advantage of the
comfort and reassurance they can provide.
5. Allow your friends to check in on you. While I was
driving I turned on my cell phone. Both my mother and my
husband called me to see how my ride was going. Creating
the space for others to check in on you is a great reminder
that you aren't alone on your scary journey. Don't let
pride fool you into thinking you don't need support.
6. Enjoy the journey. During my ride I saw beautiful
parts of my home state that I'd never seen. I received a
little geography lesson learning how the different highways
connect. I sang at the top of my lungs to my favorite tunes
from the 80's. I actually had fun. While there were a
couple of times when I wasn't sure what highway I was on or
the street I needed wasn't on the map, that didn't negate
the joy of the journey.
On my way back, I drove straight home with no stopping.
It wasn't easy but making it to Youngstown a week earlier
gave me all the confidence I needed. I'm not sure if I
would now consider myself a road warrior, but I now have
one less thing to fear.
About the Author
Myrtis Smith, the founder of Premeditated Life is a personal
and career coach. Download her FREE eBook "Your Personal
Success Guide" at www.premeditatedlife.com