Fear is a useful emotion that is self-preserving. Our intuition tells us to be afraid so that we may arm ourselves from harm. When you see a dog bearing its teeth your fear tells you to stay away.

Anxiety is not fear. Anxiety is preparing for a perceived fear that is most likely emotional and not environmental. Anxiety never protected anyone from danger but indeed from doing all the important things that matter in life such as create, take risk, practice, produce, make good judgments and connect with people.

Anxiety is practicing failure in advance. It can take such hold of us that if left untamed it can overtake our ability to be rational. We need to give "anxiety" something else to do with its energy. Accept anxiety as part of your passion. Invite it to the table with you. Look at it. Touch it. Smell it. Taste it. And when you start to hear it whisper inklings of failure in your ears, offer it a drink as opposed to space in your head. It's thirsty. Give it the tallest bottle of top shelf whisky in your virtual pantry and let it salivate over that. It will do a lot more good sloshing around with Johnnie Walker than rattling around in your mind and overtaking your confidence. And you will do a lot more good snatching its energy toward your passion.

You have important things to create. You are remarkable and generous and have much to give this world in how you connect with the many people who need your influence. Don't turn your back on anxiety for it knows how to get around to your other ear - invite it in and give it refreshment. It'll be happy to suck up your old angst. And when your heart starts to pound and you worries flood back unannounced, just pull out a chair in your mind and hand it another glass. It must be very thirsty.

You have multiple priorities to juggle and decisions to make as you stay open to making the world a better place by giving and receiving. As your "anxiety" sleeps off a stooper in the chambers of the Canadian Mounties, you'll have its energy to channel toward your passion for helping others.

Be the person your friends, colleagues, family, company and clients can't do without. Don't be necessary - be crucial. Don't just be the problem solver. Be more human and connected. There is no room for anxiety in that picture. Give it something else to do. Start now!

Get Mary Lee's free tip sheets on "Feel the Fear - How to Build Self Confidence" and "Replace the Mad Hatter with Your Personal Plan" at http://www.startingovernow.com/Articles-and-Tip-Sheets.html.

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Mary Lee Gannon is a cultural turnaround and leadership expert who went from being a stay-at-home mother with four children to a difficult marriage, divorce, homelessness, and welfare to CEO. Her book "Starting Over - 25 Rules When You've Bottomed Out" is available on Amazon.com and details how she went from an earning capacity of $27,000 annually to president and CEO within just a few years. Visit her Web site at www.StartingOverNow.com