FEAR

Fear is a disabling emotion. Yes – it has some usefulness. Fear of being hit by a truck; enables us with the knowledge not to stroll across the road without due to caution. Fear of burning our hand keeps us from touching a red hot stove. So if you are arguing that fear isn’t all bad – you are absolutely correct.

Where fear becomes disabling is when we allow it to keep us from fulfilling are dreams – or being happy.

Some examples (from my own life):
“What if I publish my novel and no one buys it?”
“What if I apply for the promotion and I am turned down?”
“What if I ask the girl out and she says no?”
“What if I allow myself to be happy? It may not last – I may not be worthy.”
“What if, what if what if, what if, what if……………………………………………………………………………….”

If you live in fear – it is difficult to take chances – because we are afraid of what the final outcome may be. Yet – by not taking a chance – we are already determining the final outcome.

When I was a young man (kid) working in a factory – There was a man that worked there in his mid-40s, named Richard. Richard was always telling me what he could have done – he could have played professional baseball – if he had tried, he could have married his high school sweetheart – if he tried, he could have received a college degree if he had tried, he could have opened his own company –if he tried. The litany went on and on.
It was sad – Richard seemed like a smart guy –with a lot of talent. One thing – kept him from pursing any of his dreams – fear. Now it is true – he may have failed in every attempt he made on any items on his list – though it seems unlikely he would have failed at everything. Yet by the very fact of not trying – he failed. He never played professional baseball; he never received a college degree – he did not marry the lady he wanted to. Richard was a middle aged man who allowed fear to control his destiny.

Richard fears – assisted me is making a vow not to be a middle aged man who “could have or should have” – but didn’t – because of fear.
I actually developed a fear of being like Richard – unfortunately –for a while, I was – and then I got motivated –and started thinking it terms of positive potential. Instead of being concerned with what could go wrong – I started by envisioning what might go right.

Has this process provided me with success in all of my endeavors? No – I have some less than stellar outcomes – but at least I know the outcomes are a result of trying – not avoiding. As I work at perfect my own personal processes – my successes will grow – I will have a book on the best sellers list, I will have a mountain house –I will have that perfect love. I know this because I will not allow fear to stand in my way.

Thomas Edison had over 10,000 failures prior to inventing the light bulb – what if fear stopped him at one?