Many of us are wrestling with fear these days. For instance, one of my career coaching clients asked a question recently. I thought you might enjoy hearing the question and my response. Of course, I'm changing a bit to protect their identity.

The Question:

Still working on turning struggles into strengths. Having a mental block for some reason with this one. What if the struggles are things I really dislike? What is a good way to reframe?

My Response - A Story

"I want to share a story about transformation and pushing through fear. Meet Bob, a helpful IT professional who discovered that his greatest obstacle – public speaking – would become the gateway to his most significant growth.

At first, Bob's fear of 'looking dumb' kept him from sharing his valuable insights with others. But he had an important realization: when he spoke about topics he was passionate about in comfortable settings, people consistently valued his unique way of explaining complex ideas.

Instead of letting fear define his limits, Bob chose to see public speaking as a tool for career advancement and knowledge sharing. He started small, presenting to local professional groups where he knew some friendly faces. Yes, he was nervous – sweating bullets nervous – but each positive response built his confidence.

The real breakthrough came when Bob shifted his perspective from 'I might look dumb' to 'I have valuable insights to share.' This mindset change, combined with deliberate practice and learning from each experience, transformed him into someone who now confidently addresses audiences of 300+ at international conferences, shares his expertise on over 100 podcasts, and has even authored a book.

The key wasn't that Bob eliminated his fear – it was that he found something more important than the fear. By connecting his personal growth to professional impact, he turned an obstacle into an opportunity.

What story could you rewrite about your own challenges? What bigger purpose might be waiting on the other side of your current struggle?"

By the way, I was Bob.

What about you?

What fear are you wrestling with? How is it holding you back ... in your current job? Or in your job search?

Feel free to leave your challenge in the comments below, or set up a time to chat about that challenge.

Hope this helps.