The problem with relying on planning is you feel totally helpless when those plans fail -- luckily, creativity is your best friend when it comes to muddling your way through a scary situation. The most important thing to remember is that, no matter what, you have exactly what you need to take one more step forward. Goals become overwhelming when the jump seems too big to do in one leap, which is why your penchant for planning actually comes in handy here. Break that big thing into smaller pieces, until you have one small enough that you know you can do it. And remember -- no matter how many plans fall through, you always have what you need to take it in stride and make another choice. 

The thing about maps is they provide so much comfort. When you know exactly where you’re going and how to get there, you never have to worry or be afraid. But the downside of certainty is that it leaves no room for wonder. You know that feeling of being completely taken by surprise in the best way, the kind of awe-inspiring miracle that takes your breath away? Those moments wouldn’t be nearly as potent if you knew what was going to happen. Creativity relies on those moments of wonder as fuel, and that’s why uncertainty and creativity go hand-in-hand. It’s good to have a plan, but at some point, you have to surrender to the fact that you don’t know what’s going to happen next -- and that’s a good thing.

At the core of debilitating anxiety is an inability to face scary things head-on for fear of failure or destruction. Instead of doing the thing, we worry about the thing and call it preparation. Let me be the voice you need to hear right now: You can do scary things. Yes, it’s terrifying. Yes, you might fail. Yes, failing might hurt. And. You can still do it. It might be messy, and not how you imagined it. It might take you longer than you thought, or more tries than you hoped for. Fear might be yelling in your ear the whole time. And. You can do scary things.