What prevents us from undertaking our projects is not so much a lack of ideas, but rather fear. Fear of failing, of not succeeding. That’s why we don’t dare. In fact, we give up before we’ve even dared to try. Yet it is possible to learn to dare, to take the plunge despite fear. But how? Here are 4 simple steps to follow.

1 – Develop your skills to learn to dare

If we don’t dare, it’s because we don’t have full confidence in our ability to succeed, and in our skills in particular.

So why not develop them?

The problem is that our comfort zone is a nice one. What’s more, there’s a belief that learning is too difficult beyond a certain age, and that it’s almost taboo.

Indeed, in our society, it’s either we know or we don’t know. And, too bad for those who don’t know.

But that’s not true!

Because we can learn anything at any age. All we have to do is give ourselves permission and get out of our comfort zone.

So, will you get out of your comfort zone and develop your skills, one by one?

Because learning to dare means knowing that, every day, we can improve in our chosen field.

Remember, the purpose of this life is not to know, it’s to learn and it’s to dare!

2 – Draw inspiration from others

Many people around the world have dared to realize their dreams and do what everyone else thought impossible.

And they weren’t born that way, they’ve become that way.

In fact, when you listen to people who have succeeded in their chosen field, they all say that it took time, learning and daring.

So, if so many people have done it, why can’t you?

That’s why take inspiration from others. Start with your project(s) and look for people who can inspire you and teach you how to dare!

Then read their biographies and watch documentaries about them. Let themselves inspire you. That’s what learning to dare is all about.

Do some research right now and list at least 3 people who inspire you and can help you learn.

3 – Free yourself from perfectionism to learn to dare

To undertake your projects, you mustn’t be too much of a perfectionist. In other words, don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you start.

In other words, stop waiting to fill in all the boxes in your Excel files, to have a perfect 10-year vision, to know everything about everything.

The problem is, from school onwards, we’ve been taught to be perfectionists, to leave no stone unturned, and to be afraid of “grey” areas.

We’re taught to control everything, to prepare everything from A to Z.

But learning to dare means letting go of that perfectionist side, and going with what you’ve got.

Indeed, to move forward in life, you have to start where you are and with what you’ve got.

That doesn’t mean going in any old way. No, we still need to prepare the most important things. But the details can be worked out later.

What’s more, it doesn’t mean not continuing to improve your skills. Not at all.

In fact, you start somewhere and keep learning and improving, day after day.

So, if you were to free yourself from perfectionism, where would you start?

4 – Decide to live without regret

Do you have regrets? Chances are you do.

Those missed opportunities, those things you didn’t dare to do and can’t do anymore, because the moment’s gone.

So now it’s time to make the choice to live without regret.

Because that’s what it means to learn to dare, to stop preferring to do nothing rather than try and take the risk of failing.

Indeed, always try. Whatever the end result.

Because it’s better to lose or fail, because you always learn something. Whereas when you don’t even dare, you learn nothing.

Remember that Nelson Mandela said: “I never lose. Either I win, or I learn.”

What do you think? If you were to let Nelson Mandela’s words inspire you, what would you do differently?

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover How to make a fresh start: 4 motivating tips
Discover How to write a truly effective To-Do List? The 7 golden rules

I recommend this inspiring book:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
Ready Player One and Two Book Set
In a dystopian future, Wade Watts embarks on a daring quest in a world of virtual reality to find an Easter egg that will change his life. The novel celebrates the courage to challenge the status quo.

The book simply blew me away. The story is set in the year 2045 and the world is simply scary. There are hardly any resources left and many inhabitants are impoverished. But there is still a way out and that is the OASIS. This is a virtual world and serves as a substitute for many. This virtual world is diverse and varied. However, there is a kind of secret here and the founder has decreed that his inheritance will go to the person who reveals the secret after his death. So some time passes before Wade manages to decipher the first clue.

I thought the book was simply brilliant because it was exciting from start to finish. The author always has surprises up his sleeve, so I was never bored and thought the wrong way a few times. I really rooted for Wade and always wished for him to succeed because you learn that he didn’t have it easy and so I really wanted him to succeed. There were some secondary characters who didn’t deserve it.

I really liked the setting, as everything was described very vividly and I was able to immerse myself in the story so wonderfully. The author also uses a lot of details from the past and how things started with computers back then. I really liked this idea. The atmosphere of the story was rather dark, which I found very fitting, because you also learn that the inhabitants don’t have it easy and that the world has more or less come to an end.

I found the protagonists wonderfully described and they made a very authentic impression. First and foremost Wade, of course, because I really liked him right from the start. I loved the way he doesn’t let his past get him down, even though he has mutated into a loner. I could also totally understand his actions, because who wouldn’t go to a virtual school if they were being bullied in the real world?

The writing style was great and very easy to read. The author managed to captivate me right from the start and the plot was also very easy to understand. The story is told from Wade’s point of view, which was very exciting. The writing style was descriptive and very detailed, which I really appreciated.

I found the cover very fitting for the content of the book.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself