The Fear Of Being Visible And 4 Ways To Overcome It

The fear of being visible is something we have all experienced at some point in our lives. For years I struggled with calling myself an industry expert. I had a severe case of imposter syndrome and felt like despite my impact as an employee and a growing list of satisfied clients, I felt like I couldn't compete with other more well-known coaches. I was scared to put myself out there. And too many talented women think this way.

Despite having the education, years of experience, and industry impact, we are afraid to have their voices heard, counted, and challenged. It's easier to remain in the safety of being invisible, play small, and ride the status quo instead of being seen as the leader and industry expert you know you are. Usually, people will fit into one, if not all, of these fears. It's either the fear of success, the fear of judgment, or the fear of what people will think of you overall.

The fear of success.

The fear of visibility is also known as the fear of success, and it comes with a continuous replay of what-ifs in your mind. "What if I fail? What if no one likes it? What if I succeed, and now everyone has expectations of me?" 

Success means the responsibility that other people are counting on you. Often, if you fear success, you are constantly worried that you may not measure up to expectations or duplicate past successes. Additionally, the fear of success encompasses the knowledge that if we succeed, we were always powerful enough to do so and that we've just been wasting time.

The fear of judgment.

There isn't a single person out there who likes to be judged. Unfortunately, for some with an intense, persistent fear of being watched or judged, it morphs into social anxiety disorder (SAD), affecting daily activities, not just work. If you are afraid of judgment, you are more likely to avoid situations that can be stressful to avoid embarrassing yourself. When you experience this, standard simple advice like "feel the fear and do it anyway" doesn't work.

The fear of what people will think of you.

It can be overwhelming when you are worried about other people's opinions, whether online or in the workplace. Often though, when you find yourself drowning in self-reflection, trying to confirm your suspicions, you end up discovering it's all in your head. Your perspective on what others think isn't the truth because people aren't thinking about us as much as we believe, which means we are chasing an illusion.  

If you focus on what is important to you, the negative comments of others wouldn't mean as much. Besides, consider the source of your information. Is the person you're worried about actually upset with something you've done, or are they lashing out because they are disgruntled and unhappy with their own lives and decisions? Happy, successful people usually don't have time to criticize others.  

How to Overcome the Fear of Visibility.

All emotions have a purpose, and they are essential. For example, if you are afraid, there was an experience in your life that taught you that you need to be protected. The benefit of fear is that it keeps us safe, but too much of it can stop us from branching out and learning new things.  

Your body and mind always want to protect you. If your fear is loudly telling you that you aren't safe, it isn't trying to prevent you from being successful, it's trying to help. So how do you overcome your fear? You don't. You turn the volume down on your fear, listen to it, and then turn the volume up on your confidence. So, here are some tips from my experience to help you overcome the fear of visibility once and for all.

Find the Root.

Fears are developed over time, and it's essential to do some soul searching to locate the root of the fear and dig it up by the source. Were you bullied and told you weren't good enough from a young age? Were you ever told that you'd never be successful? Did you suffer continuous rejection? Negative self-talk is a form of conditioning that has formed our opinions of ourselves regardless of our accomplishments. We have to know why we feel the way we do to address the roadblock adequately. In other words, you can't write a prescription without a diagnosis.

Replace fear-based thoughts with new ones.

If your fear is reverberating loudly inside your head, try to remind yourself of when you learned a new thing or started a new experience, and it went well. Replace your outdated fear-based thoughts with accomplishments and examples of how capable you are, and remind yourself that you can be visible and make a difference.  

Shift your focus towards your mission and whom you're meant to serve.

Focusing on your mission instead of your fears may make it easier to get over your fear of being visible. Of course, this shift in focus doesn't make the fear go away, but it makes it worth it to endure just a little longer because you will have made a difference at the end of the uncomfortable situation or the problem.

The idea is to walk in your zone of genius, where you are most comfortable and confident. We start to second-guess ourselves when we are outside our comfort zone. When you know what you want to do and who you are meant to serve, people benefit from your gifts and talents. Focusing on that mission helps you stay in your zone of genius and make the impact you desire.  

Take small steps daily.

The battle is in your mind, and breaking old habits don't happen overnight. However, small steps can yield significant results and lessen the grip of fear to control your future decisions. Once you acknowledge your roadblocks, they must be followed up with action. I'm sure you've heard, "Feel the fear and do it anyway," but it's not that easy when you're facing debilitating anxiety and self-doubt.

Taking baby steps will allow you to regain control of what you allow to affect your progress. Everyone struggles with the fear of visibility, but you can overcome it. We are all accomplished, unique, valuable women, and we have a lot to offer this world. It’s an incredible feeling to find your confidence and walk in your purpose. So, it’s time to let go of old fears and start walking down a new path of influence.

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