When Fear Becomes a Roadblock | And How to Reframe It as a Catalyst

Susan Jeffers’ Book

A book I often recommend to clients is by Susan Jeffers Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway where she describes how fear is not a psychological disorder to be eliminated, but a signal to be understood and embraced.  The key is not the absence of fear, it’s the ability to act in spite of it.

We all feel fear. In fact, fear is a built-in alarm system; when we venture into uncertainty, our brain signals danger. Yet in leadership, career transitions, entrepreneurship, or personal growth, fear often becomes the barrier that keeps us stuck.

Here’s how we can bring that mindset to professional growth, and taking bold steps in our careers.

1. Understand the Levels of Fear - And What They Reveal

Jeffers divides fear into 3 levels:

• Level 1 fears are the “surface stories”; fears about being judged, failure, change (e.g. public speaking, career shifts).

• Level 2 fears are deeper: rejection, success, inadequacy - they often cut across multiple areas.

• Level 3 fear is the core: the fear that “I can’t handle it.”

For many leaders, fear of failure (Level 1) is symptomatic of a deeper insecurity (Level 3) about one’s capacity to cope. As a leader, recognising the underlying fear is critical: the real work often lies beneath the surface. When you feel like hesitating about something, just ask “What’s the worst thing I tell myself I can't handle if this fails?”

2. The 5 Truths About Fear - Reframing Your Relationship With It

Jeffers introduces 5 truths that help transform fear from an enemy to an advisor:

1. As long as we grow, we will feel fear.

2. We’re tempted to adopt “when–then” thinking (e.g. “When I’m confident, then I’ll act”).

3. It’s less painful to move through fear than to stay stuck in “what ifs.”

4. Every time we confront fear, we gain confidence and self-assurance.

5. You are never alone in your fear.

In leadership context, these truths become powerful reframes:

• Accept that discomfort is part of the growth journey.

• Stop waiting for the “perfect moment.”

• Recognise that the status quo often costs more in lost opportunity than failure ever will.

3. From Pain to Power - My “Coach’s Roadmap”

Jeffers offers a toolkit to shift from paralysis (“pain”) to empowered action (“power”):

• Language shift: Replace victim language with choice language (“I choose to…” vs “I have to…”)

• Expand the comfort zone: Begin small. Practice doing things that scare you, reliably.

• Take responsibility: Recognise how your internal narrative contributes to your fear.

• Make “no-lose decisions”: Frame decisions such that any path forward is a learning step.

• Live holistically: Don’t overcommit identity to one sphere (e.g. work). Diversify your sources of meaning and confidence.

As a coach, I guide my clients to structure experiments (micro-risks) so they progressively stretch their capabilities. The incremental wins compound confidence.

4. How Leaders Can Use Fear Productively

Here are ways to translate Jeffers’ principles into actionable coaching for professionals

• Normalise vulnerability: As a leader, publicly acknowledging your fear (e.g. “I’m nervous about this new initiative”) can model courage and invite psychological safety.

• Encourage small bets: Urge clients to take incremental steps (e.g. post a thought piece, ask for feedback) rather than waiting to “get it perfect.”

• Reframe “failure” as feedback: Encourage a growth mindset: even if things don’t unfold as expected, each attempt yields insights.

• Peer accountability: Create small cohorts or mastermind groups where participants commit to one fearful act per month and share lessons.

• Visual “courage logs”: Track moments when you acted despite fear. Over time, this archive becomes compelling proof of resilience.