Getting a promotion to lead a team is exciting, but it can also be scary. Sometimes, the fear can be so strong that it holds us back without us even realizing it.

Andrea Liebross shared a story about one of her clients on hbr.org. She was an accountant who worked really hard to become a partner. But when she got the news, she panicked. She worried about how it would affect her relationships with clients, if she could handle managing people, and if she could still be a good mom. These fears made her freeze up.

This kind of fear is common. Research shows that even successful people can be held back by their fears. But here’s the thing: if you don’t deal with the beliefs behind your fears, they’ll keep popping up whenever you face something new. As a coach, I’ve helped many clients with this. The trick is to have a mindset of learning instead of thinking you can’t change.

Here’s the difference: Some people think they can’t change how good they are at something – fixed mindset. Others see new challenges as chances to learn and grow – growth mindset.

So, as a new leader, you can choose to learn instead of letting fear control you.

This approach worked for her accountant client. When she realized she was afraid because she thought she had to be perfect, she changed her thinking. She saw her new role as a chance to learn, not to be perfect. And her fear went away.

You can do the same. Let’s go over four common fears new leaders face, and how you can beat them with a learning mindset:

1. “I’m not good enough.”

When things go wrong, it’s easy to think we’re not good enough. But instead of trying to prove yourself, ask questions like:

• Is it fair to expect perfection?
• What’s not working, and how can you fix it?

By seeing mistakes as learning opportunities, you’ll get better over time.

2. “My team will make me look bad.”

You might worry that your team’s performance will reflect on you. But instead of blaming them, ask:

• Why do you think your team might not do well?
• What can you do to help them improve?

You’re not powerless. You can learn to solve problems and boost your confidence.

3. “Managing will take too much time.”

If you’re overwhelmed, it’s easy to think you can’t handle it all. But ask yourself:

• Why do you think you can’t manage your workload?
• What can you do to make it easier?

By challenging your beliefs, you’ll find solutions that work for you.

4. “I can’t trust others to do the work.”

You might think only you can do certain tasks. But ask yourself:

• Why do you think you can’t delegate?
• What’s really stopping you?

Once you identify your fears, you can learn how to overcome them step by step.

In the end, fear comes from our thoughts. But we can control our thoughts. By embracing a learning mindset, you can conquer your fears and keep growing in your career.