Living While Leading with Sharon Ehrlich

76: Do It Scared! How to Stop Letting Fear Hold You Back

Sharon Ehrlich Season 1 Episode 76

Your courage doesn’t need to wait. This 5-minute boost will remind you to do it scared.

Feeling stuck because fear keeps whispering, “What if you fail”? In this quick episode Sharon Ehrlich shares how to move forward even when you’re scared. Discover why fear often signals growth, how to reframe failure as a lesson, and why doing it scared can unlock your next level of success.

Perfect for high-performing women ready to stop holding back and start showing up with courage. Listen now for a short burst of inspiration you can carry into your day.

Click here to read the full transcript of this episode.
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Sharon Ehrlich is a leadership strategist who turns stalled teams and overwhelmed leaders into high-impact performers, one conversation, one workshop, one coaching session at a time.

Through bespoke, problem-solving workshops, she helps organizations tackle real-world challenges—misaligned priorities, fractured communication, low morale—and leaves them with a clear roadmap to stronger trust, sharper decision-making, and sustained innovation.

Working 1:1 with executives, Sharon’s coaching blends deep listening with targeted feedback, so leaders refine their communication style, build resilience in uncertainty, and craft a strategic vision that sticks. Her clients report immediate shifts like teams collaborating more openly, projects hitting targets faster, and cultures becoming more inclusive and energized.

Whether you’re navigating a hybrid work maze, seeking fresh ideas to spark creativity, or aiming to align leadership around a shared purpose, Sharon’s insight-packed podcast episodes offer quick, actionable strategies you can put to work today.

Curious to see how she can help you solve your toughest leadership or team challenge? Explore current and past episodes at LivingWhileLeading.com or connect with Sharon on LinkedIn to start the conversation.

76: Do It Scared! How to Stop Letting Fear Hold You Back

I’ve been working on something new lately—something that pushes me far outside my comfort zone. It’s not where I usually operate, and honestly? It makes me nervous. There are moments when I question myself. Where that little voice whispers, “What if you fail?”

But guess what? I’m doing it anyway. Because even if I stumble, even if the outcome isn’t perfect, I know there will be lessons worth carrying forward. I’m confident in my success, yes—but I also trust that failure, if it comes, won’t break me. It will build me. And that got me thinking about you.

Find the full transcript and other resources for women leaders at Living While Leading.com/76.

Do It Scared: Taking Action Even When You’re Not Ready

Where are you holding yourself back because of fear? Maybe you’ve been waiting until you feel ready. Maybe you’ve been overthinking, waiting for the perfect plan, the perfect moment. But you and I both know: fear rarely goes away before you act.

So let me offer you this: do it scared! 

Fear can feel so loud. Sometimes it sounds like your own thoughts. Sometimes it echoes the opinions of people around you. Either way, don’t hand it the keys to your future. If you’re scared, it probably means what you’re about to do matters deeply to you.

Redefining Failure as a Step Toward Success

Ask yourself: what’s the worst that happens if I fail? Will that stop you from trying again? Or will it push you toward the second, maybe even the third attempt—the one that carries you to success?

I’ve learned that putting yourself “out there” is the only way you grow. It’s how you get noticed for your expertise. It’s how opportunities find you. 

And yes, if you fall, it’s okay to cry your “big-girl” tears. It’s OK to feel the sting. But don’t stay there. Wipe your face, dust yourself off, and rise again.

Fear wants you small. Purpose wants you bold. 

Practical Steps to Move Through Fear with Grace

So, name your fear. Take one imperfect step forward. Seek advice from people who believe in your potential, not those projecting their limits onto you. Redefine success so it’s not just about titles or bonuses—but about alignment, impact, and joy. 

Most importantly: hold yourself accountable with grace. You don’t need overnight transformation. Just the courage to take the next step.

You are not behind. You are not broken. The vision you hold in your heart is not random, it’s your roadmap.

Your Roadmap to Courage Starts Now

Don’t wait for the day when you feel fearless. That day may never come. Instead, choose to grow into the person who can handle it. Because you can. And when you do, it will change everything.

Do it scared. Do it anyway. Your future self will thank you.

Remember, you’re the solution to claiming what’s important to you!