The biggest obstacle for Bamboo Farmers is overcoming F.U.D., i.e., Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt.
Fear will keep you from Watering Your Bamboo because you’re fearful of what might happen.
Uncertainty about the future will keep you from ever making a plan to achieve your bamboo.
Doubt crushes your dream of ever realizing your bamboo because you don’t believe in yourself.
To have success in your life, you must learn to address all three of these.
How to Deal with Fear
Fear is about getting stuck in the future. People who fear flying don’t actually have a fear of flying; they fear crashing. Same with being afraid of spiders. People don’t fear spiders; they fear what they might do to them.
Our fears play tricks on us to be fearful or anxious about the future. But if we can notice how we’re feeling and try to be more present, we’ll conquer our fears.
Treat your fears like background music while you’re having a conversation with someone. Do you ever notice how music sort of fades away during a conversation, and it’s barely noticeable? It’s because you are paying attention to the conversation.
How to Deal with Uncertainty
Certainty is one of our most significant needs as humans. It’s one of the main reasons I wrote Water The Bamboo. Uncertainty can keep us from taking steps towards our goal, but with a plan, you’ll take action towards realizing your bamboo dreams.
Start with your big goals (your bamboo) and break them down into manageable steps (the watering), and that will form your plan.
Nothing is certain in life. But with a plan in place, the chances of achieving your goals are much better.
“It doesn’t take a lot of doubt to stop people from watering their bamboo.”
How to Deal with Doubt
Doubt is the most wicked of the three because it doesn’t take a lot of doubt to stop people from watering their bamboo. Doubt is a part of being human, but we must overcome it; otherwise, it will paralyze us from taking action.
How do we overcome it? We must change our language.
If I can change how I think about the thing, I can change my beliefs and ultimately change my actions.
This post is based on a podcast episode by Greg Bell.
Listen below for the full episode: