In order to succeed in anything, especially gaining a degree online, you must master your fear of the unknown. Fear of the unknown is an issue that stops many people succeeding in life and in education until they understand how to utilize nerves and limit stress and unnecessary worry.
There is no doubt that taking the plunge and enrolling in an online education course is a daunting prospect for many potential students. Despite the many exciting benefits of studying online from the comfort of their own home, many people feel frightened of online study because they are unsure of their ability to handle the technology involved and aren’t sure what online learning will be like. In spite of fears like these, for many people the decision to study online ultimately becomes one of the best decisions of their life. But to go from fearing online education to mastering it they all had to dispel this basic fear: fear of the unknown.
It’s the same fear that stops people traveling overseas to that resort in the pacific. The one that stops them fulfilling their childhood dream of learning to surf. The one that stops them speaking Spanish fluently. The only way to deal with fear of the unknown is by embracing the idea of doing something totally new, embracing the nerves, and turn all that unknowness into excitement.
I still remember how unsure I was when I enrolled for my first online degree. I was still scared of enrolling to study online even though I had already been through university and had academically excelled during Bachelor’s degree and was a writer and teacher.
It was simply fear of the unknown.
It felt strange to study with a teacher based in a classroom an entire continent width away. However silly it seems now, I’d never studied before without my teacher with me in the room to pat me on the back and hold my hand. I had no idea how well it would eventually go!
Most people feel this kind of fear of the unknown and of things they’ve never experienced before. It’s typical of students considering studying an online course. But like everything in life, fear of unknowns surrounding online education dissolve the minute you research the online study opportunity more, get closer to it, understand it and then finally dip your toes into the waters.
For me, online education became my preferred mode of learning and something IÂ looked forward to. And that happened within a few short days of my first lesson! IÂ didn’t look back. The nerves had been a waste of time.
The only way to deal with fear of the unknown is to embrace what you fear and give it a go. If you really want an education and can access what you want easily online, don’t let simple nerves hold you back. The more you do something, the easier it gets.
Don’t focus on everything all at once as that is overwhelming. Focus on what you can do. Build on that step by step. In no time you will be much further along than when you started.
Success breeds more success. Set yourself up to succeed. Don’t try to study while you have Facebook turned on to distract you. Move away from family or flat mates who want to chat and ask them to help you keep a quiet no-interruption zone for study. Let people know what you need. Create a cheer team for yourself if you can. If you set yourself up for success you won’t feel flat when hit obstacles. You won’t let it get to you.
Master that fear of the unknown that everyone feels, and do what you want to anyway. Everyone that excels in anything in life, including online education, has mastered their fear of the unknown and turned it into excitement and anticipation and finally mastery.
Sometimes it helps to see the facts, the whole picture, and glimpse into where the idea is going. For that reason, I’ve included an infographic below that shows the future of online education. I hope you enjoy it!
