Fear is in the air right now.

You can feel it in conversations. In the news. In the markets. In the low grade tension people carry around in their bodies. War in the Middle East. Cultural uncertainty. Financial uncertainty. A sense that the ground beneath our feet isn’t quite as solid as it used to feel.

And when fear rises in the larger culture, it doesn’t stay out there. It finds its way into our personal decisions.

Especially the big ones.

I see it often in mid and late career professionals who are standing on the edge of a possible next chapter. They’re considering a pivot. A new business. Consulting. Coaching. Finally writing the book. Moving into work that feels more aligned with who they’ve become.

There’s excitement there.

Real possibility.

But also fear.

The unknown has a way of doing that. Even when the future holds promise, the human mind is very good at inventing worst case scenarios. What if it doesn’t work? What if the money isn’t there? What if people judge me? What if I fail?

Those questions can stop people dead in their tracks.

And right now, with so much uncertainty swirling around us, that fear can feel even louder.

Which is why I sometimes ask a coaching question that tends to cut straight through the noise.

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

It’s a simple question. But it has a way of illuminating things.

When people pause and really sit with it, something interesting often happens. The fog begins to lift. The answer that comes forward is usually not complicated or dramatic. Often it’s something they’ve quietly known for a long time.

Start the business.

Reach out to that potential client.

Write the first chapter.

Have the difficult conversation.

Take the first step toward the work they actually want to be doing.

Fear doesn’t disappear when you ask the question. It’s still there. Fear is part of being human.

But the question shifts the focus.

Instead of organizing your life around fear, you begin organizing it around possibility.

And from there, the next step often becomes clear.

If you’re standing at the edge of a decision right now, try asking yourself that question.

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

You might already know the answer.

Need help? Let’s talk. Email me: [email protected]