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Overcome Your Fears to Find Your Ideal Life (Thoughts from Japan)
May 5, 2017
I won’t sit here right now and tell you 10 reasons why you should go to Japan or give you 51 travel tips for your next vacation abroad.  That’s not what this blog’s about. 
 
This is not a travel blog.  This is a blog about uncovering your life’s purpose and creating your own ideal lifestyle.
 
If travel is a part of that, as it is for me, then that’s great.  But many of you will never go to Japan and that’s completely fine too. 
 
However, I believe there are takeaways surrounding my trip that will help you accomplish your own goals and find your ideal life.  
 
First of all, you need to stop doubting yourself and limiting what you think is possible in your life.  I would not be writing to you from Osaka, Japan right now if I had doubted myself.  
 
If I had said “it’s too far,” “it’s too expensive” or “I’m afraid because I can’t speak the language” then I never would have made this trek.  This vacation would have been over before it ever started.  
 
But instead, what did I do?  I started with the goal in mind.  I wanted to go to Japan and then the only question became “how?”  
 
 
Once I had set the goal, everything else became more feasible.  I did not scare myself with the little questions.  These little questions are often what trip us up in the first place.  
 
After I determined my goal of traveling to Japan I got to work.  I did the research online.  I racked up my credit card points for the flight.  I reached out to friends who had made the trip before me.  
 
And you know what I found?  I found that it wasn’t going to be that hard after all.  People have already paved the path before me.
All I had to do was follow their advice.  All I had to do was ask for help.  
 
No matter what your goals are right now you’ll find that there are people who have achieved them before you and that they are ready AND willing to help.  
 
People love to help other people.  People love to feel that they’re needed.  
 
So whether your goal right now is to get a new job, pass another industry designation, or plan a trip abroad, there are people out there that can help.  
 
The key here then becomes getting over your own insecurities around asking for help.  Don’t think you’re a burden.  Don’t think you’re wasting their time.  You’re not.  
 
You’re asking for a favor that they’ll be ready and willing to give.  And then down the road if they need something that you can help with, you can return the favor.   
 
You may even find that by reaching out to these people, you spark a bond.  Many of the conversations I’ve setup surrounding travel, career or life advice have turned into true friendships.  
 
The magical part is that the more you project your goals out into the world the more of them will start to come to fruition.  
By telling people what your aim is, you are no longer working alone.  There is a collective momentum behind your goal now.  There are people on your team.  
 
 
The last point I want to cover with this post is the importance of overcoming the fear of the unknown.  Many of us stay in our comfort zone day after day because it’s easy.  It’s what we know and nothing can harm us there.  
 
I did this for most of my life.  I was afraid to speak first.  I was afraid to share my true thoughts.  I was afraid to venture out on my own.  
 
But over the last few years I have slowly been able to overcome my fears.  
I have become the person who leads a conversation.  I have projected my thoughts on this blog for the world to see.  I have traveled to the other side of the world alone.  
 
I have found that with each little moment that I push myself, my stresses are relieved.  I’ve found that many of the fears I had growing up were unwarranted.  I was wrong all along.  
 
I even found that living uncomfortably is exhilarating.  It’s a new high in my life that can’t be matched.  Now I love presenting in front of audiences.  I love meeting strangers.  And I love sharing my thoughts with you on this blog.  
 
So what makes you uncomfortable?  Which goal have you been keeping on the back burner for the last year?  
 
It’s time for you to start living the life you want.  There are people out there that will help you but you need to help yourself first.  
 
You need to overcome your fears.  You need to take the first step.  
 
You need to leap off the edge without knowing where you’ll land.  
 
I guarantee that if you have the courage to jump a new world awaits.  
 
 
 

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