I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain."
---Frank Herbert, Dune - Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear
I like this quote from the book Dune. It illustrates how one can take an irrational
emotion ?Fear ?the most crippling one for an Alpha Man, and re-frame it in such a way
that he takes control over it.
Fear is described as many things to many people, and it shows itself in the most
innocuous ways.
However there is one thing you must always remember:
Fear only exists in your mind.
Fear has absolutely no tangible presence in the real world. Fear is nothing more
than an emotional response to our natural desire to avoid discomfort. Fear is simply a
response to an imagined outcome.
Many people get used to letting fear guide them through life, avoiding the things
they do not want to face. Fear becomes something else, walls that box us in and block
off alternatives. We stop recognizing fear and start pretending that there are “reasons?
for what we fear.
“I don’t want to leave this job. It’s good money, and I’d never make it on my own.?
Fear of change. Fear of failure. Fear of pain.
“I can’t play the guitar. My hands are too short and fat.?
Fear of failure. Fear of effort. Fear of pain.
“I don’t think she’s my type. She’s got a funky tattoo, and that means she’s one of
those hippie chicks.?
Fear of rejection. Fear of failure. Fear of pain.
“I can’t speak in front of people. I just don’t have anything to say that people
would be interested in.?
Fear of failure. Fear of embarrassment. Fear of pain.
Remember, in a world where everyone will eventually die, why would you fear
anything else?
What could possibly be worse?
Fear serves many purposes. First of all, it gives you an indication that you’re
venturing into a realm where you’re unfamiliar. It also tells you that you are on the edge
of your assumed limitations, and this is an opportunity to grow.
Here’s how to use Fear for your benefit:
Fear is really energy in disguise. Fear provides us with a jolt of natural energy
that we can either ignore and lose (which is what happens when you avoid a situation
you fear), or grab hold of it and ride it like a wild tiger.
Do you feel that charge in your brain? That rush of energy that accompanies that
fear? That’s the Tiger.
Remember, all men feel fear. The difference is that Alpha Men use it to their
advantage and to push them forward rather than letting it hold them back.
The first Alpha Men who hunted the deadliest prey knew that there was a likely
chance they’d get injured or even killed in the process of bringing down their next meal.
They also knew that if they didn’t try, they’d eventually die of hunger. But after they
learned how to do it from their tribesmen, they went out and did it anyway, using that
fear like a massive dose of drugs in their system. And the more they did it, the more
they learned that the fear would still be there, but it wouldn’t stop them; it would help
them ?if they used it right.
The biggest mistake with fear is that we don’t usually act on our fears until we’re
forced to. And by that point we’re so caught up in doing something, that it rarely lets us
relax enough to be resourceful. We become detached from our actions. We think that
since we were forced to do something, such as speak in front of a group, we aren’t the
ones doing it.
The truth is that every person does what they want to do. Even if it’s just to avoid
punishment.
If you drive the speed limit, it’s because you want to obey the authority, not
because the sign says so, or the police officer says so. The only thing stopping you from
going faster is the press of your foot on the gas pedal.
If you hate your job but keep going in day after day after day, it’s because you
want to keep going in. Even if it’s because you think you’re doing it to support your
family.
There are more options out there than we think. It’s usually fear that blinds us to
them. We assume that if one option appears painful, that we’re better off not thinking about it
