Do you ever get a sinking feeling in your gut? What about butterflies or some other unpleasant feeling that leaves you wanting to escape a problem?

“Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” — dictionary.com

Anxiety is a sign that you’re confronting a problem. It might be something uncertain, or it might be very real and present.

Leaders have a choice

In the face of anxiety you have a few options available:

You can Lay Blame. After all, making the problem someone else’s fault means you don’t have to do the work of changing.

Justifying means you can come up with the world’s best excuse. At least you won’t have to do the work of changing something.

Blaming yourself with your shame would mean it’s as good as it’s going to get, so why bother.

You could muscle through it as what choice do you have given it’s an obligation.

Denial and quitting are pretty useful for coping with the problem.

Hopefully one of those mindsets will help you deal with the anxiety, so you’re not anxious. For now.

Or,

You could choose to take responsibility for your world and do something about the problem. You might have to be with the discomfort of the anxiety a little longer. However, this is when the real problem solving starts happening.

The anxiety you’re feeling is a sign you’re outside your comfort zone. Don’t stop moving forward. Keep growing.

You’ve got this.