Fear

Many people ask me how I have achieved the things I have in life. When they talk about why they haven't done this, that or the other, they usually use the phase, "I feared this, or that would or would not happen."

LIFE 101

"Here is one of the great ironies of life: Those who are doing what they want to do and are consciously expanding their comfort zone at every opportunity experience no more fear than people who are trying to keep their life "as comfortable as possible." Fear is a part of life. Some people feel fear when they press against their comfort zone and make it larger. Other people feel fear when they even think they might do something that gets them even close to the (ever-shrinking) comfort zone. Both feel the same fear."

Fear is a natural part of what makes us human. We need fear to survive, but we cannot survive life if we are constantly living with fearful limitations. I have never been afraid to do what I thought would further my interest and yes, that includes flying. I used to have a horrible fear of flying until I was asked to go on a business trip and had to fly to Utah. I was in my early forties. I was scared out of my wits. I was seeing signs that the plane was going to crash at every turn. When I say our flight number 5666, I honed in on the "666" and took it as a sign that something bad was surely ahead of me. Yet, even with those thoughts I got on the plane.

Six years later I was asked to go to Florida with a friend. I said yes immediately but I had to work on my fearful thoughts during the weeks before the trip. I went and was better for it.

Feel the fear and do it anyway. Plain and simple.