Striving Fearfully

Fear is a natural part of life; it aims to keep you safe and alive. However, when it controls you, it pushes you into a self-destructive bubble. ‘EVERYTHING IS A POTENTIAL DANGER’, it screams. While this is partly true, the likelihood makes this unbelievable. The mind, on the other hand, is convinced by lies through their repetition.

It is a myth that no fear is an advantage; in fact, it is outright dangerous! This misconception comes from the belief that you will be able to do anything you want but ironically, that is the actual problem. Fear in moderation keeps you safe. For example, if you were hunting in the wild and you haven’t eaten for days. You see a boar and prepare to attack. While getting in position, a snake jumps at you. You scream which scares away the boar. You now have two choices; kill the snake or chase your food. Your autopilot will kick in, forcing you to kill the snake because it poses the immediate danger and therefore, prioritising your safety.

“Being brave isn’t the absence of fear. Being brave is having that fear but finding a way through it.” —Bear Grylls

Did you know Beyoncé gets nervous before she performs? She has performed for years, in front of millions but still gets butterflies. It is okay to feel fear but aim to become braver. Do not shame yourself for these feelings for it is shaming yourself for being human. The goal is to push past these fears by becoming braver and mussing up some courage.

Fear can be flipped to your advantage

If you are struggling to get braver, fight fire with fire. Fears that push you forward vs those that push you back. What are the consequences of you not overcoming your fear? Usually, the consequences are loss of time, money and energy. Use the opposites of these fears for motivation to push back. It’s important to know this isn’t a good long term strategy but ideal for a short sweet boost. Eventually, you will want to transition to positive motives but know fear can be flipped to your advantage.

Recommend reading:

‘You are a badass’ by Jen sincere

Keep an eye out for the podcast follow up!