Taking Leaps of Faith| 3 ways to Move Beyond Fear

How to take leaps of faith and achieve your biggest goals

I was reflecting on my life over the course of the last few years. One thing that came to mind was, “The Lord will provide for you as you go!” I’ve taken a few leaps of faith, and there were moments when I questioned if I missed God or misunderstood the assignment because time got hard. Really hard… but as I pressed forward, somehow, things pulled together in the end. In today’s blog post, I share three ways to take a leap of faith and move beyond fear. 

Moving Beyond Fear

I’m reminded of these two scriptures:

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind

2 Timothy 1:7

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand

Isaiah 41:10

Fear will paralyze you. I know this from experience. A few months ago, I started getting stressed about meeting my dissertation proposal defense timeline. The reality is that I was NOT as diligent as I could have been when it came to writing consistently. Overall, I was moving forward, but I could have gone further. This reality weighed heavily on me. Perfectionism creeped in, followed by a bit of procrastination and lethargy. It was the perfect storm. I processed this experience with my therapist. She asked if I was showing myself grace. My journey has been difficult, with some major life events and juggling competing priorities. As we discussed, one thing that stood out was grace can overcome fear”.

I needed to show myself more grace. To combat this mix of feelings, we decided to up my gratitude journaling approach.

My hope in sharing my story is that you will identify the source of your fears, as I have, process the emotions and experience, and come up with a plan of action to move forward. I’ll keep you updated on my progress, and I hope you’ll share your journey (as you feel led) in the comments.

A Leap of Faith

Taking a leap of faith to achieve big goals requires courage, belief, and intentional efforts. Now that we’ve discussed strategies for moving past fear, Here are three tips for purpose-driven women looking to take bold steps toward their dreams.

Clarify Your Purpose

Be clear about why you are pursuing a particular goal. A well-defined purpose grounds you during uncertain times and helps you stay motivated when challenges arise. I will also advise you not to spend overtime on it. This is when things like perfectionism and analysis paralyzes can emerge. Clarity can include seeing just enough to press forward. Clarity can also include I know the why for “this” but not the why for “that” and making a decision to move forward anyway, knowing things will become clearer along the way.  I know this may contradict some of the “purpose gurus,” but try it yourself.  Life is a journey filled with pivots, and being crystal clear all the time is not realistic. Our experiences shape us and sharpen our vision. Let experience grow you, and it will all make sense in the end.

Cultivate Resilience

The heart of this post was all about building resilience in times of adversity and when things don’t go as planned. https://careermomcommunity.com/building-resilience/

Challenges are inevitable when taking a leap of faith. It’s important to develop mental and emotional resilience by learning from setbacks, staying adaptable, and keeping your focus on the long-term vision.

Trust the Process

Trusting the process is about having faith in the journey, even when you can’t see the end result. Every step you take—be it a success, setback, or wait—has a purpose. As purpose-driven mothers managing family, career, and personal dreams, trusting the process means embracing patience and believing that every season, especially the tough ones, prepares you for something greater!

When pursuing big dreams and big goals, it’s common to experience frustration when progress seems slow. Whether you are launching a business, returning to school, or engaging in a passion project while balancing the responsibilities of motherhood, it’s important to recognize that every action contributes to the larger objective. Trusting that each step, no matter how minor, plays a role in the overall journey can reduce stress and frustration.

How to Achieve Your Biggest Goals

Overcoming fear is a significant challenge in the pursuit of personal goals and dreams. Fear can create a sense of paralysis, leading to feelings of being stuck. However, this emotion can also present opportunities for personal growth and development. To effectively confront and navigate fear, consider the following strategies that can aid in achieving your objectives:

• Acknowledge the fear
• Re-frame as a growth opportunity
• Focus on your why
• Break your goals down into manageable steps
• Let go of perfectionism

Pushing past fear to accomplish your goals requires recognizing that fear is a normal part of any journey but doesn’t have to control you. Start by acknowledging your fear and understanding its root cause, whether it’s the fear of failure, judgment, or the unknown. This understanding empowers you to re-frame fear as an opportunity for growth and focus on small, consistent steps, gradually building momentum. Anchoring yourself in your ‘why’—the deeper purpose behind your goals—can also give you the strength to move forward. Visualization and embracing imperfection are key strategies to shift your focus from fear to progress, helping you stay motivated even in the face of uncertainty.

Lean on your faith and remind yourself that courage is about moving forward despite fear. Scripture like Joshua 1:9 can provide encouragement, reminding you that God is with you in every step of your journey. Surround yourself with positive influences and celebrate small wins along the way to counterbalance fear and build confidence. With each step, fear loses its power, and you grow more resilient and empowered to pursue your biggest dreams.

To Wrap it Up

As a mom, taking a leap of faith may feel overwhelming because you’re not just thinking about yourself—you’re also considering your family. Im always encouraged knowing that pursuing dreams not only fulfills me but also sets a powerful example for my children. I hope you find this helpful. As your children observe your courage and resilience may it inspire you to keep pushing forward.

Additionally, when we align our goals with God’s will and trust Him, He guides us. You don’t need to have everything figured out; just take your next step in faith, and He will establish your plans.

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” — Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)

Trusting the process means letting go of control and believing that everything will unfold in God’s perfect timing. What you do today shapes the woman, mom, and leader you are becoming. Embrace those leaps of faith; the path may be winding, but it will lead you exactly where you need to be.