“The Psychology of Fear” by Arthur J. Westermayr says “From the beginning of human thought, fear has been regarded with contempt. To fear, to be afraid, is considered the earmark of cowardice, and as all the world is said to love a lover, so all the world scorns a coward. And because it occupies in our estimation such an unenviable position it serves a useful purpose.”
Westermayr is saying fear is the one thing that holds us from doing the things we really want to do. Fear keeps people away from reaching for their goals and dreams. The fear of not being good enough is very real, destructive and harmful to the mind. The anxiety takes over, and to be free of the fear is all you want.
We are all different, Westermayr says. We come in all shapes and sizes, but we also come with different brains, which means separate psychologies of how far our minds will let us be brave.
Sometimes we think we don’t have enough authority on a subject to do or say anything about it. So we don’t do anything and hold ourselves back. We stay locked up and trapped in our own heads. We go crazy.
I have always been a fearful person. Always afraid of people, places and things so much so my mom once printed a seven page document on fear and phobias for me to read. I like trying new things, but that doesn’t stop me from being afraid.
However, I find when I do the things that scare me – what I really want to do – I feel relief and I gain more confidence in myself. Doing this will make you less afraid of things you cannot do. The more you do, the better you become.
In the novel “The Happiness Equation” by Neil Pasricha, he talks about how to turn your fear into your own success. There are steps to this process: first, you think you can do something, second you want to do it, and finally, you go out and just do it. Pasricha suggests that you start by facing your fears, then you’ll want to do it more and more.
Instead of holding yourself back by thinking you can’t do something, just do whatever it is you want to do and don’t let your fear of failing hold you back. This does not mean that you should be impulsive or not consider the risks or benefits of your actions, but when it comes to pursuing your dreams, passions or goals in life, just do it. Do it once, do it twice, before you can think yourself out of it. It might just end up being the best decision you have ever made.