They prevent us from doing the real work, the work we're afraid of. 

By identifying what your current fears center around you're likely to find what you're avoiding, and the work that you need to do.

When I'm afraid of something I'm suddenly more willing to clean my bathroom or convince myself I need a break to check Facebook.  I don't accomplish much by darting around doing these various tasks.

Devote some time each day towards doing something that scares you.  You'll start to see that fear exists only in your brain and that you can be afraid to do something AND still choose to do it anyway.  Need some help with this?  Check out the book Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway by Susan Jeffers.