Timidity: The Fifth Enemy from Within

In the previous four posts we have looked at the fears that is based on indifference, indecision, doubt and worry. In this post we will look at timidity. And, like the other fears, timidity at times can certainly be appropriate. Yet, when you are overcome with timidity it will keep you from advancing.

As a business coach in The Woodlands and as a business coach in Houston I have seen and experienced timidity. What is timidity? Quite simply, timidity is overly cautious. Timidity or over caution, will keep people on the sidelines when they need to be in the game of business and life.

Interestingly, timidity can hold back talented and nice people. Why? A timid person will not take a risk. They always want to have both feet planted firmly on the ground. If you think about it, when you take a step forward, you get out of balance. Timid people love balance.

Yet, when you are totally in balance, you cannot move. Very often timid people although qualified will not get the promotion or be offered opportunities to advance. Why? Because others see that stepping out or taking a risk makes them uncomfortable.

In my business coaching practice, timidity is something that everyone has to deal with at times. Sometimes it is appropriate. But if you let the over caution of timidity govern you it will leave you out of more opportunities in business and life than you can imagine.

Timidity is connected to indifference, indecision, doubt and worry in that all these enemies from within are cured or alleviated by action. Where worry may take someone off course, timidity will prevent you from taking another course that may greatly improve your business and life.

My self-improvement tip for combatting timidity is that action cures fear. There is fear in taking the action, but once it is taken it becomes a learning experience, whether you succeed or fail, that will move you forward. As was pointed out earlier, to take a step forward you have to get out of balance.

Only when you get out of balance and take new action can you start to overcome timidity. Only then can you start to change your mindset to take you on the road to success.

Let’s say, your goal is to lose weight for health reasons. A timid person is more likely not to try to lose the weight. Why? They would have to change something in their current patterns and lifestyle for that to happen. Since they won’t do it when they know they need to do it, timidity becomes a disempowering force every day in their lives.

That is the subtle effect of timidity. It will slowly disempower you in most areas of your life. As with the other enemies from within, they can be valid and good at times. But with a mindset of timidity, you will miss out and fail to attract the good things life has to offer.

Timidity, like the other enemies from within is very often a choice. Choose to make good decisions and to act for improvement and you will, as you gain experience and success become less timid. You have to take action and build the mental muscles to overcome timidity.

As with the other enemies from within, you can’t eliminate timidity, but you can do things to lessen its impact on the road to your success. In summary, for the 5 Enemies from Within, the antidote is to take action. You may have some fear in taking action. Yet action is the only way to cure fear. When you take action, you will start to overcome timidity and be on the path to greater fulfillment by becoming all that you can be.