Fear Mind Map: Overcoming fears by breaking them down [+free download]

Recently, some of my clients have been talking about their fears.  

One was because she was struggling to let go of the stability of a 9-5 job and venture out on her own and start a business. 

Another was because he was wrestling with what to pursue after a successful exit from the company he built.  

She was scared to fully commit to becoming her own boss.  

He was scared that he would make the wrong choice and regret the outcome.

Both felt like there were high stakes, and their fear was holding them back from clarity on their next step.

Talking through the challenges was helpful for these Visionaries, but they needed something more...

They needed a Visionary framework - a structured way to process all the thoughts crowding their minds.

So I had each of them make a Fear Mind Map.

What is a Fear Mind Map?

A Fear Mind Map is an exercise to flesh out and visualize the root causes of fears in any aspect of your life. In the process, your fears go from being a rabbit hole of worry and anxiety to being something you can take a step back from, understand more fully, and ultimately overcome. 

Sometimes, exploring those fears even opens up new opportunities when you realize there can be alternate outcomes. 

What Will I Take Away from this Process?

When you get your fears into the light of day by putting your pen to paper, they lose the power they get from lurking – and intensifying – in the shadows of your mind.

You’ll also gain valuable insight into yourself, and your thought process, as you connect the dots and bring patterns to the surface. 

From there you’ll have a newfound perspective on where your fears are really coming from. Instead of trying to push them away or feeling overwhelmed by them, you’ll be able to confront them head-on, clearing some mental inventory around these weighty decisions.

How to do the Fear Mind Map Visioning Framework

1. Get the free download and read the instructions.

2. Draw a circle in the middle of your paper and write your main fear in the middle. Eg. A decision I have to make.

3. Draw a circle coming out from that main fear and list the overarching things you’re afraid of around this choice: Eg: Making the wrong decision.

4. Draw a circle coming out from the previous one and describe why you’re afraid of that risk. Eg: I’ll let people down.

5. Now, List a Positive, Neutral, and Negative outcome that could come from your fear becoming reality. If you let someone down, you might damage your relationship but you might also strengthen it.

6. Review. What patterns come up? What small steps can you take to minimize or neutralize the things you’re most afraid of? Is the worst outcome all that bad? What surprising opportunities might arise?
   

Get the free Fear Mind Map download

This is the exact same step-by-step exercise that I share with my VIP One-on-One clients, and it’s yours for free.

Fear can keep us from taking the most important chances of our lives. If you’re unsure which path to take, fear only makes us hesitate longer. With this mind map exercise, follow along step by step to identify your fears, disempower them, and come up with new alternatives that might even surprise you. 

I hope this exercise helps you with fears you’re grappling with now, and remember – now you’ve always got this Visionary Exercise in your back pocket for worries that pop up down the line.