The biggest obstacle to living a happy, fulfilling, productive and successful life is FEAR. It is the single most debilitating factor that prevents us from achieving what we want to achieve. In fact, fear can be so powerful that it often pervades every aspect of our lives. Its effect can be extremely incapacitating if we allow it to be.
Fear is a natural aspect of our lives. It is part of our DNA and has helped the human species survive for thousands of years. It has helped us avoid dangers such as being attacked by a lion or being burned by fire. Fear is what triggers our fight or flight instinct and can be extremely valuable in keeping us alive and out of harm’s way.
However, if not properly understood or managed, fear can have a devastating effect on us. It can lead to inaction, paranoia, unhappiness, and depression. It can paralyse us to the point that it impedes us from fulfilling our true potential and living a meaningful life. Fear can also cause us to make irrational and harmful decisions that we would not ordinarily make.
Now stop and think about this for a second: What are you afraid of? What specific fears have been holding you back from achieving your goals and preventing you from living your ideal life? Here are some common answers:
- I am not good enough
- I am not smart enough
- I am too old
- I am too young
- It is too late
- It is too early
- I am not tall enough
- I am not attractive enough
- I do not have the right qualifications
- I do not have enough money
- I do not know the right people
- I do not come from the right family background
- I do not have enough discipline
- Nobody likes me
- I lack the proper skills
- I lack the talent
- I do not have the right education
- There is no market for what I want to do
- I am overweight
- I won’t be able to change
- I will make others upset
- My family won’t agree
- My past is too blemished
- Others are better than I am
- I will embarrass myself
- I will disappoint myself or others
- It will be too difficult
- It will require too much effort
- I will get hurt
- I will hurt others
- I lack the proper resources
- I won’t have the time
- My heart will get broken
- I will do the wrong thing
- I will fail
- I will be ridiculed
- I am not cut out for what I want to achieve
- I do not deserve it
Fear will always occupy a space in our lives, and that is perfectly alright. We can accomplish amazing things if we do not listen to that fear. All we need to do is to acknowledge it, then have courage and do it anyway.
