Many of you know that I coach a color guard (you know, the girls who spin the flags in a marching band).

Two days before the Raleigh Christmas Parade a young color guard member was about to give up her potential position of marching where the camera would capture her performing for 1/2 million viewers to see. She wasn’t sure she would smile and she didn’t want to let down the guard. She came to me and said – “I think you should move me to another position, away from the camera.”

Rather than make the decision for her, I told her it was her decision to make.  At the core of this decision was fear.  Fear of failure.  If she wanted to move herself to the off camera side, she could tell the young lady who would take her place herself. Either way, she was in a position to face the fear – either by giving into it or by overcoming it.

I’m happy to say she decided to march camera side.  And the cameras caught a picture of me waving and her doing what?  You guessed it… Smiling.

What decision are you facing right now?  What fear is associated with that decision?