Dancing with Fear

The only way to get rid of the fear is to stop doing things that might not work, to stop putting yourself out there, to stop doing work that matters. ... the right question is, "How do I dance with the fear? -- Seth Godin.

Fear has been on my mind a lot lately and I came across this quote when I was searching for answers.If you don’t know Seth Godin’s work, google his name now and start watching videos on Youtube. Start with this one. Or this one. You’ll thank me.Originally an internet marketer, Seth is now so much more. He’s an author and speaker and teacher and much of his work is about encouraging people to dare to be creative, in life, in business, and in art.So why am I thinking about fear? I’m about to put my latest work out into the world and it’s different from anything local people have seen from me before. I suspect it may be a little too abstract for the local market (although I may be wrong about that). I’ve helped to organize the first-ever art trail in my small town and I’m worried no-one will come.I’ve just launched this website and Facebook group and I’m worried no-one will read it.On top of that, my work has started to become more abstract and I don’t know where it’s going.That’s a lot of fear!But according to Seth, fear is a good thing. He describes it as a “call to do your work.” If you’re not a little bit scared, he says, then you’re not doing the stuff that matters. You’re coasting. You’re doing what you know. You’re staying safe, but at the expense of making a difference.So I think dancing with fear means welcoming it in by saying “oh good you’re here! That means I’m about to do something worthwhile!It doesn’t mean that what you do will turn out the way you’d hoped. But there’s a better chance of the right outcome if you at least try.So, I dance with the fear … and maybe the trail is a success.I dance with the fear and maybe people like my new work.I dance with the fear and maybe this website attracts readers and helps the people I’m aiming to help.And even if none of it works, more people will have benefitted than if I had done nothing. So I keep dancing.I’d love to know how you handle fear when it comes to your art. Drop me a comment or come and join the discussion on our Facebook group (just ask to join if you are not already a member).