What are your fears keeping you from doing?
By
In a speech in 1933, American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, addressing a nation mired in a Depression and on the verge of a world war, famously stated, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” During the first century A.D., Epictetus said, “It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death.” And in the 1600s, Francis Bacon remarked that, “Nothing is terrible except fear itself.”
Fear is universal. It crosses all boundaries of race, culture, religion and generation. We all feel fear. So why do some people appear to be fearless, doing battle with enemies that others cower before? Because they recognize that the greatest enemy they face is the fear itself. The first battle every hero faces is against fear and its weapons of destruction.
So how should we deal with fear? Avoiding it never really makes it go away; we either become paralyzed or defeated. Frantically searching for a quick fix usually just results in unfocused and wasted effort.
The only way to deal with fear is to face it and overcome it. Dale Carnegie explained it this way: “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” Here are some actions you can take to face and overcome fear:
Discover the foundation of fear
The fact is that most fear is not based on fact. Much of what we fear is based on a feeling. According to an old saying, “Fear and worry are interest paid in advance on something you may never own.” And Aristotle explained, “Fear is pain arising from anticipation of evil.”
When you acknowledge that the majority of fear is unfounded, you can begin to release yourself from its power. American general George Patton understood this. He said, “I learned very early in life not to take counsel of my fears.” Businessman Allen Neuharth saw his worst fears come true, only to realize that they weren’t as big as he’d imagined: “I quit being afraid when my first venture failed and the sky didn’t fall down.”
Admit your fears
One of our biggest misconceptions is that courage equals a lack of fear. In actuality, the opposite is true. Mark Twain explained, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.” By admitting our fear, we can then challenge its accuracy.
That’s how General Patton dealt with it: “The time to take counsel of your fears is before you make an important battle decision,” he said. “That’s the time to listen to every fear you can imagine! When you have collected all the facts and fears and made your decision, turn off all of your fears and go ahead!”
Accept the frailty and brevity of life
Sometimes our greatest fears are founded on reality. For example, we are all going to die sometime. There’s no denying that. Likewise, life will often be hard and painful. Those things are completely out of our control. By accepting their reality, we can then focus on the things we actually can control.
I love what Gertrude Stein wrote about fear: “Considering how dangerous everything is, nothing is really frightening.”
Accept fear as the price of progress
“As long as I continue to push out into the world,” said Susan Jeffers, “as long as I continue to stretch my capabilities, as long as I continue to take risks in making my dreams come true, I am going to experience fear.”
To do anything of value, we have to take risks. And with risk comes fear. If we accept it as the price of progress, then we can take appropriate risks that yield great reward.
Develop a burning desire that overcomes fear
Sometimes the best way to fight fear is to focus on our reason for confronting it. Is it bigger than the fear? The firefighter runs into the burning building not because he’s fearless, but because he has a calling that is more important than the fear.
The person afraid of flying decides to confront it not because the fear has vanished, but because a meeting with a new grandchild awaits at the end of the flight.
Focus on what you can control
We cannot control the length of our lives; we can’t control many of the circumstances that we face. Accepting those facts allows us to focus on what we can control. Like American basketball coach John Wooden said, “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
As a leader, I often have to deal with the wrong attitudes and actions of the people who follow me. So a long time ago, I decided that,
I can control my attitude, but not others’ actions.
I can control my calendar, but not others’ circumstances.
And it’s not what happens to me, but what happens in me.
Focus on today
Fear tries to make us look at all of our problems at once: those from yesterday, today, and tomorrow. To be courageous, you have to focus only on today. Why? Because it’s the only thing you have any control over.
I love what a wise man once said about an ocean liner: If an ocean liner could think and feel, it would never leave its dock; it would be afraid of the thousands of huge waves it would encounter. It would fear all of its dangers at once, even though it had to meet them only one wave at a time.
By focusing only on what’s right in front of us, we can manage tremendous risk because we know we’ll only have to deal with it one wave at a time.
Put some wins under your belt
Just like fear tends to breed more fear, courage leads to more courage. According to Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
The more we face our fears, the more capable we begin to feel, and the more fears we are willing to face.
Do it now
Often, all it takes to conquer a fear is to change our focus and try some of the above suggestions. As we realize what’s true and focus on what we can control, the fear naturally fades and weakens. But there are other times, when no amount of thinking can overcome the fear. In fact, the more we think in those situations, the more fearful we become. Then, the only solution is action.
As W. Clement Stone said, “When thinking won’t cure fear, action will.”
It is the wise person who accepts that fear is a very real part of life, and it must be faced and overcome with courage. By taking action in the face of fear, he or she achieves results and becomes more courageous.
Another American president, Harry S. Truman, said it this way: “The worst danger we face is the danger of being paralyzed by doubts and fears. This danger is brought on by those who abandon faith and sneer at hope. It is brought on by those who spread cynicism and distrust and try to blind us to our great chance to do good for all mankind.”
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And perfected love casts out fear. I used to be “feardriven” until I realized I´m loved by God, that totally changed my perspective. After being near death a couple of times, I´ve understood that my time on this earth is way to precious to be governed by fear of any kind, and that I am the only person who can accomplish what I am called to do, nobody else can take my place. That goes for everyone of us, you are needed in your place, and if you are, you´ve also been given what it takes to do what you´re called to do, afraid or not.
Fear is one of the main facts why people never see success in life. it is fear that keeps us from doing the impossible with God. Fighting fear is where many of our focus should be… using fear as a platform to success.
“The biggest fear is to fail at the task we hope to achieve. That’s why many never obtain success. They feel safe in the boat.” By Dane A. Mesane
Lord help me conquer my fear. Let this not keep me from doing my purpose.
God Bless,
This was such a blessing to me today!! I need to apply this to a couple of specific areas of my life. I have held onto certain fears far too long in my life…it’s time to deal with them, face them, and let them go once and for all!
I believe fear can be one of the strongest footholds for the enemy. A healthy fear is good; we’re to fear God for example. An unhealthy fear can leave us crippled and paralyzed. It can allow the negative thoughts and accusations to creep in and tell us the lies that hold us down. Fear is important because it keeps us safe and honest But, without a proper measure of courage and faith, fear will hold us down and keep us from being the amazing people whom God has created us to be.
A perfect time for posting. At 40-something, I have answered God’s call on my life to become and ordained minister…talk about fears that need facing. Today I posted that I did not feel very brave. Thank you for your words as it made me realize that I’m not facing this alone, but I AM facing my fear. That is an accomplishment in itself.
Very, very good article. Yes believe what you have said, also I have found that their is no fear if I become more knowlegdeable on the thing I fear.
God did not give us a spirit of fear ….. “Walk with boldness, and power and determination into every area of life because God is there.” (Ezk.48:35)
Great piece. You’r such a great influence in the lives of many. Love you
Iam afraid of the future and this leads me to do some crazy things. Iam a pastor, my fear is who will look after my family if i concetrate on ministry work. But i will try your ideas coz i see that most of my fears are unfounded. Thanks
Loved the article, and sending it to a few people. Fear, if not conquered can really hold us back in life. I been there. Still working on some things, because I know I have to overcome to move on. I plan on moving forward and not looking back.
I used to live in constant fear. Every night I tossed the sheets off the bed while trying to run from something in my dreams. Then somehow I learned to face my fears head on. They all lost their power when I faced them.
A lot of truth in this article. Fear only has power if you give into it. A person can not have both Love and Fear at the same time for one must leave. Think about it.
“For God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and a sound mind.” —- 2 Timothy 1:7
When I look back at the things I have overcome, I can’t believe that I still have fears that I haven’t walked through yet. Like Amanda said, “I have held onto certain fears far too long in my life…it’s time to deal with them, face them, and let them go once and for all!” That’s part of my plan for 2011. Thanks, John, for the encouragement!
Thanks for this. In some ways, fear is misplaced trust, because we all must trust in something. When I trust in things of this world (which I do all too often, each and every day), then of course I’ll be fearful; deep down, no matter how much I try to convince myself, I know they are not faithful or powerful as God is.
Thanks John, this was just what I needed to read this evening. After reading your article, I believe that I am conquering one of my fears by leaving a comment!
God Bless you and your family!
Wonderful. Articles like these are what motivate us to look forward and even scared, get the strength to cope.
God bless John
Perfect love is willessness and it is in willessness that I have less fear! I am seeing this more and more in my life. Things are not working out as I imagined they would, in fact I am in a situation now that I never imagined I could or would ever be in! Maybe God’s Will is not intended to always be comfortable and without trepidation! God’s Kingdom purposes may just be born out of the willessness of courage bent in submissive fear-respect. When my life did a U-Turn, I could feel my will scraping my life-path, digging a rut of fear. But as I have let go of the situation and the way I wanted to see it play out and fully faced God and realized that my true position in Him has not changed at all, even though my life course has U-Turned in a direction I am not comfortable with. In my life, I can see that God’s perfect love is activated through my willessness and in this heart condition, I have seen God trump my fear of the unknown with Kingdom purpose that is far more valuable than me getting my wants and being comfortable- fearless in this life.
Dear John,
Thanks for this fantastic post. Fear is one of the greatest enemy of mankind that stops him to perform up to his potential. In this post, you have nicely addressed the issue highlighting the way to overcome it as it has been controlled by great men and women in history. The famous spiritual writer Marinne Williamson addressed the same topic and suggest a shift in perception from fear to love can radically transform all challenging task to noble spiritual duties. And, in the realm of spirituality nothing is ever lost. It is all bout gain.
Kindest Regards,
Imtiaz
John,
A timely post for the new year. I started getting in the habit of thinking “what’s the worst that could happen” and then going ahead with eyes wide open. It’s amazing how many people are afraid of failing. They will fail, anyone who has succeed often fails at first. There’s nothing to be afraid of.
The sooner we face our fears, the sooner we can succeed.
Thanks for choosing a life of service for all of us leaders, I truly appreciate it.
Gabe
I love the quotes you refer to here today! The Bible tells us that we are supposed to take every thought captive. This means that I do not have to accept every thought or “fear” that comes to me. We all have the ability to reject negative, painful or unhealthy thoughts. I do this by being aware of my thoughts and asking myself the following questions:
Is this thought true?
Does this fit with who I am becoming?
Do I want this thought to become part of who I am?
Is this thought productive, noble or life-giving?
If the answer is no to any of these questions, then I simply disregard the thought(s) and do not ponder or dwell on it.
You’ve chosen a perfect time for addressing this subject John – thank you!
Wow. If we could only get everyone to understand this simple concept. There is no reason to live our lives afraid of the things we cannot control.
Thank you for posting this article. I’m blessed. Agape.
John,
Before even to start read the stuff, the picture says it all. Thank you and God bless…
I appreciate this article and it’s helped gain a different perspective on a current endeavor where I took a risk. Thanks
Great Article, hope God blessing you like you blessing others with your article include me.
All the Best
Helena
Thank you for the post, John. VERY encouraging thoughts!
I needed this post today. Facing some fears right now and this really helped.
Thanks, John, you’re a real friend.
Amen! Thank you for sharing this with us John! A must read and a must live!
Blessings and peace!
I DISCOVER THE NATURE OF TRUTH IN MY OWN SELF AFTER READING THE ARTICLE AND I KNOW THAT THIS WORD IS MEANT FOR ME. I HAVE PUT AWAY FEAR NOW AND I HAVE BEEN ENDOWED WITH BOLDNESS OF ACHIEVEMENT.GOD BLESS YOU
John:
An amazing post today and so appropriate for me. It’s sad to say, but I’ve been paralyzed by fear for most of my adult life. As a collector of quotes, as well, I’ve enjoyed all the ones you’ve included today. I have, only in the past couple of years, begun to face my fears head on, relying on Ray Bradbury’s quote “Go to the edge of the cliff and jump off. Build your wings on the way down”. Your article helps to put things in perspective and will be a favored read when I begin to doubt myself.
With gratitude….
Your analogy of eliminating fear by way of focusing on the end result resonated with me. As a child I developed the fear of flying when I never have flown myself nor did I ever have anyone in my life get hurt in any airplane accident. Once I got my first job out of college I was elected to go to a seminar which required us to fly. I remember trying to find an excuse not to go because I simply did not want to fly. Anyway I forced myself to go. At the time I did not use your technique of focusing on the positive of it. However when I think back as I began my journey of flying to other destinations, I believe I just focused on getting to my destination and enjoying my visit. Flying is no longer an issue for me and I have to say I love it now. So if you have fear of anything, start by writing down all the advantages of facing the fear and how you will benefit by overcoming it. Then when you are faced with the fear, focus on what you wrote and you will break down that wall.
What a great article. It helped to assure me that what I wrote about in my book “Defeating Fear” was right on. I guess all of the years of studying John Maxwell has had an impact on me!!
Indeed, “Fear rules the world”. Only those who understands the key that locks the door to fear, can join in the successful ruling of the world. Those who are ready to damn every circumstances and ride the storm like an eagle.
John, thank you for this topic. I believe I am improving daily by your occasional charge.
In my opinion, fear can be a hindrance and close doors to all the things we can achieve and what are the possible opportunities.
Thank you for this article
[...] start to write and post again. Today I was reading an article by John Maxwell about fear entitled What are your fears keeping you from doing? It was a great article, for it is indeed true that fear is something that every person in our world [...]
Fear is an anxious reaction to either real or perceived situations and can be very subjective. In your article you mentioned that we need to accept fear as the price of progress and I wholeheartedly agree with that.
Thanks for a great post.
Reflecto
What a fantastic article John, filled with so many powerful quotes which left me with deep thoughts of why fear is holding me back.
I have enjoyed reading the comments too, as some added to the article.
Love the picture that you seected.
God Bless.
This blog of Mr. Maxwell really helped me. I learned a lot because of this blog. By following the suggestions of Mr. Maxwell, we can overcome our fears easily.
It’s good to know that Mr. Maxwell can touch and inspire our lives through the blogs he post and books he write.
I wrote a blog about this which can be found at http://bloxxislove.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/overcoming-our-fears/. I wrote some of my realizations and the things I learned.
Mr. John Maxwell, continue to write and inspire us. Thank you and God Bless!