Fear is one of the most powerful and universal motivators out there.
Regardless of our environment or disposition, we actively avoid situations that terrify us. Much like the antelope running from the lion on the Serengeti, fear drives us forward.
Fear inspires us to try harder, remain vigilant and avoid situations that make us feel uncomfortable. The message: Avoid unpleasant outcomes at all costs.
It’s all stick, no carrot. But it’s plenty effective anyway.
Yet, while fear can save us from being stagnant or careless, it can also prevent us from exploring the depths of our possibilities.
After all, the world is plenty scary. And we all too often remain inside our bubble to avoid facing our fears.
But, it turns out the safe play isn’t always the smart one.
While it makes sense to lock our cars and our homes, it’s foolish to lock our minds and our hearts.
Worse still, it’s futile. Because no matter how much we try and insulate ourselves from our fears, there’s a chance we’ll still end up facing them head-on.
And when we do, we might find them to be less terrifying than we’d anticipated.
I know this firsthand. For the first four years of my professional life, I was terrified of losing my job.
So, I played it safe. I didn’t take many risks. I asked my supervisors for a second opinion on my decisions constantly. And I volunteered to help colleagues whenever possible.
I did all this to make myself indispensable. To keep from losing my job.
But it happened anyway.
My second employer — the first one to give me a chance when I switched careers — laid me off after less than ten months on the job.
It was raw and painful for me at first. I couldn’t understand why I was out of a job, even though my job performance was high.
You see, I never considered that factors beyond my control might impact my employment status. That my position might be collateral damage if my employer was struggling.
(As it turns out, the venture that let me go went bust two months later.)
No, I wasn’t considering any of that at the time. Instead, I was considering myself a failure. I remember asking myself How could I ever hope to land another job with this black mark on my resume? And how am I going to be able to afford the rent?
I quickly learned how shortsighted this thinking was.
My current employer hired me within two weeks. And all that anxiety over upcoming rent payments evaporated.
I’d faced my fears head-on, and survived.
I’ve noticed a change in myself since that time. I’m more willing to take risks now, to get outside of my comfort zone, to be bold and direct.
This has made me a more indispensable and innovative employee than I was when I obsessed over my job status.
Yes, I have the luxury of being fearless now, because I’ve already experienced my fears. And I’ve discovered they’re not quite the monsters I thought they would be.
Truth is, we all have this luxury. We just need the gumption to act on it — within reason of course. (I wouldn’t recommend diving onto jagged rocks or swatting a hornet’s nest with your bare hands, for instance.)
Facing our fears isn’t easy. Such is the nature of running at something that chases us.
But it’s most certainly worth it.
So, be bold. Be strong.
Face that fear head-on, and you’ll stand to rise above it.