How to Push Past Fear to Create the Future You Envision

“This can’t be the end for me. I haven’t even traveled the world yet!” I remember shouting some variation of those words to a friend after we had been told that the job market was shrinking before our careers ever got started in 2008. I was headed into my sophomore year of college, and the doom of what was ahead of us, young and hopeful kids, was looking more like a reality I wasn’t willing to accept.

But the many headlines alluding to the bleak world I was about to enter post-college did keep me up at night — no lies there. “College Grads to Face Toughest Job Market in Years” – PBS News, June 6th, 2008, for example, is one of many headlines I remember reading and wondering if I had any clue what I was doing in school. I had classmates actually give up and quit college to go back home and brace for the chaos.

And yes, there was a time I considered skipping a year of school to save the money and see how things would shape up. Instead, I held tight to my goals, my dreams and all the things I wanted to do … get married, have a family, travel, see the Cubs win a World Series (I think my fandom counts as hard work). And while I’m still figuring out a lot of life, for the most part, I’ve succeeded in my baseline goals.

It’s clear to me that right now, today’s students and recent graduates are facing similar challenges with doom and gloom headlines left and right — some even saying that AI could wipe out 20% of jobs in the next five years. I may not have all the answers, but I do have these words: Fear nothing. Take risks. And keep going. Here are my tips for succeeding anyway.

Related: 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Was Starting My Career

Be serious about believing in your goals

In 2008, I was 20 years old, and I thought nothing could stop me. At all. I had made it through my freshman year with all of its challenges, doubts and fears. After struggling to pay for books and meals that first year, I knew it was game on. The headlines were scary, and my goals were scarier. I told myself, “I’m going to host my own sports talk show on ESPN.” I said, “I’m going to live in Chicago in the tallest building.” I said, “I’m going to travel the world and see all the things.”

Of those three statements, a few came close to coming true — I get to travel the world whenever I want. I do not live in the tallest building in Chicago (although the 33rd floor is high enough), and I am not hosting a sports talk show on ESPN (still on the list of to-dos). The point, however, isn’t about achieving all the goals — it’s about being so serious that you don’t hear any voice telling you that it’s not possible. It’s writing your goals down and talking about them (to the right people, which I’ll get to later!). It’s about setting up a plan and sticking as close to it as you can.

Liam-Neeson it. Develop a unique set of skills.

Want to hear a secret? College doesn’t teach you everything! I loved my experience as a student, but there was and still is so much for me to learn. Before starting a new job, ask yourself, “What else can I bring to the table?” Get a certification or extra training in a field you’re really passionate about. Learn a new skill that might be ancillary to your degree. You can even find someone willing to mentor you on the job in an area that requires hands-on experience.

It may seem like extra work, and I can hear some folks already saying, “I just took out all these loans, I can’t afford more!” Trust me, I get it. College isn’t cheap, but neither is not having a job. Think of college as a solid foundation, and think of your first job in finance as an opportunity to learn QuickBooks! Or your first job in sales presents a chance to learn the art of building sales funnels through CRMs. Surprise — these aren’t always skills you’re learning in a classroom. These are skills that can make you stand out in a sea of resumes.

Related: 5 Ways to Learn New Skills Effectively

Do the thing you’ve been scared to do

Taking risks is scary. The uncertainty, previous failures, doubts and all the judgment that comes with it are all reason enough to simply not chance it. I have found, at least in my life, that risk is where the magic is. Risk is where your dreams live and await your awakening. In 2016, my husband and I took one of the biggest risks of our lives … we quit our full-time corporate jobs — on the same day.

We were excited to see what was around the corner. What we left behind was secure income, health insurance, careers that hadn’t even fully taken off yet — but what we gained was worth more than that. This is where I want to encourage anyone reading this to perform a risk assessment for yourself. Know your limits and understand what you’re willing to lose if you take a huge risk.

And if you’re thinking, “What if it doesn’t work out?” flip it. Ask yourself, “What happens if this thing works?” I’m sure anyone you’ve been inspired by probably did “the thing” you admire about them with a sprinkling of fear. I’m not asking you to be fearless. I am asking that you do what you need to do despite your fears.

Ask for help

You don’t have to do anything alone. Maybe you’ve been let down or taken advantage of in the past, and those memories still sting. Just know that you can always start anew with the right resources and people who want to see you succeed, not fail. Asking for help was one of the hardest things for me to get over. Growing up, I did a lot of things on my own — some by choice, other times because that’s just how things were. I learned to enjoy my solitude, which eventually turned into a stubbornness that shaped my stoic independence as I got older.

And as life became more challenging, as it happened, I found myself stuck yet unwilling to ask anyone for help. “I can do this!” became, “I can’t figure this out,” which led to, “It’s not possible.” I had hit a low point in my early adulthood, but by that time, I was tired of pretending that I knew it all — or anything for that matter. It took some serious self-reflection, and eventually I mustered up the strength to send an anxious email (something I had been scared to do), and I asked someone to help me out.

Not only was the response inviting and joyful, but it reassured me that reaching out is not a reflection of my failures; rather, it was a reminder that I was not alone. Whether you need guidance with your career or relationships or just the next steps, asking for help is a good place to start.

Related: How to Ask for the Help You Need To Succeed

Say “peace out” to those who don’t share in your joy

“I don’t know why you quit your job when you could’ve kept a nice position at the university.” Someone very close to me said this to me when my husband and I decided to become entrepreneurs. It didn’t hurt, but it didn’t help either. And here’s a truth that I hope doesn’t take you too long to realize: Not everyone will be as excited or happy for you in life. They’ll doubt your abilities, try to talk you out of taking the next step, or worse, they flat out tell you that you can’t do it.

To that, I say, “Peace out!” Why? Because we’ve got bigger, better things to do than hang around anyone who only spreads fear and doubt. This is a key reason why I stated earlier to be careful who you talk to about your goals and dreams. Fearful thinking is like a super-contagious illness — it makes you question everything and stunts your inner will that drives you forward.

Fear designs false narratives and makes you actively try to avoid a problem that isn’t there at all. And sometimes the people spreading this life bacterium are people close to you … parents, friends, spouses and relationships that are difficult to truly walk away from.

Here’s what you can do: keep your plans to yourself and show them. Show them why you work hard. Show them the results of late nights. Show them what happens when you believe in yourself rather than the fears. When you’re sharing your big ideas with someone who can envision your future with you, it should feel invigorating and inspiring, and you should walk away feeling energized instead of drained. You’ll know the difference.

What’s coming ahead isn’t the end for you. It wasn’t the end for me either. In fact, what’s coming ahead will have its challenges and issues — just like everyone before us! And that is nothing to be afraid of.

“This can’t be the end for me. I haven’t even traveled the world yet!” I remember shouting some variation of those words to a friend after we had been told that the job market was shrinking before our careers ever got started in 2008. I was headed into my sophomore year of college, and the doom of what was ahead of us, young and hopeful kids, was looking more like a reality I wasn’t willing to accept.

But the many headlines alluding to the bleak world I was about to enter post-college did keep me up at night — no lies there. “College Grads to Face Toughest Job Market in Years” – PBS News, June 6th, 2008, for example, is one of many headlines I remember reading and wondering if I had any clue what I was doing in school. I had classmates actually give up and quit college to go back home and brace for the chaos.