Crossing The Bridge of Fear
“Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is a freedom.”
-Marilyn Ferguson:
Fear is a common thread which holds us together. We all experience it. It doesn’t matter how old we are or where we are in our lives, we all fear something. The difference between people, those who achieve their goals and attain the wealth they desire and those who do not, is what they do with their fear.
Types of Fear
The dictionary defines fear as:
a. A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
b. A state or condition marked by this feeling: living in fear.
2. A feeling of disquiet or apprehension: a fear of looking foolish.
3. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.
4. A reason for dread or apprehension: Being alone is my greatest fear.
Not all fears, as you can see, are created equal. Fearing for your life as a semi-truck comes barreling down the road toward you is quite different than a fear of public speaking though both inspire the same physical response – increased heart rate, sweating, tightening of muscles, rapid breathing and so on.
One fear may save your life the other…well the other simply causes missed opportunities, loss of confidence, and a significantly slower path to success. If you want to achieve your wealth goals and create the life you desire – you have to not only face your fears, you have to overcome them.
In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill lists 6 types of fear:
1. Fear of Poverty
2. Fear of Criticism
3. Fear of Ill Health
4. Fear of loss of love of someone
5. Fear of Old Age
6. Fear of Death
Fear, is a state of mind. Nothing more nothing less. The good news…you are in control of your state of mind.
One great exercise for this is – “What’s the worst that could happen?” When you’re fearing a confrontation, making a decision, taking a financial risk or whatever decision you may be having to make which is causing anxiety and fear ask yourself, “What is the worst that could happen?”
Then proceed to answer it. Lay it all out on the line. For example, if you have an opportunity to get your book out in front of people and have been invited to speak to 1000 conference attendees and you’re terrified of making a fool of yourself then the worst that could happen is that you make a total fool of yourself, right? You could stumble over your words, lose your place and in short be completely ineffective.
Now look at the flip side – what’s the best that could happen? Conversely, you could give great speech, win over the crowd and sell more books than you have printed. Sounds pretty good, right? You’re also so impressive that handfuls of people approach you with new opportunities. Score!
Indecision Breeds Doubt and Fear
It all begins with your attitude. Make a decision to be successful. Make a decision to set aside all doubts and fears, or better yet to not let them into your thought process at all. Indecision, according to Napoleon Hill and many other wealth creation experts, crystallizes into doubt. The two blend and become fear.
Fear, as you well know, gets in the way of accomplishing great things. It prevents you from acting. And as you may also know – money likes speed. The more you hesitate, the more indecisive you are – the longer the road to financial success and great wealth.
There are many symptoms of fear – it’s these very symptoms which cause lack. They include:
- Indifference
- Indecision
- Doubt
- Worry
- Too cautious
- Procrastination
Each of these symptoms is a road block to wealth creation. Feel any of these symptoms coming on and you must absolutely stop and assess. Where is the symptom coming from? What are you afraid of? Once you’re able to determine the fear you can then begin to change your perspective by asking that question – what’s the worst that could happen?
Once you know the worst, you can then prepare for the best. You can then set aside your fear or overcome it. Our logical mind can be both a hindrance and a help – the key is to use it to your advantage. Recognize when your thoughts are limiting your success. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I complaining about someone or something?
- Am I blaming someone or something?
- Am I self-medicating to avoid thinking/feeling something?
- Am I annoyed by someone or something?
- Am I avoiding someone/something? Procrastinating?
If you find yourself answering yes to anyone of those questions know that you have the tools right now to change your perspective. To change you can:
- Change the words you use – problems become opportunities and a complaint becomes a request.
- Be grateful for what you presently have and look at each difficulty as an opportunity to learn and grow.
- Remember that you’re responsible for all that you create in your life and you’re capable of creating amazing and seemingly impossible things – including great wealth.
“Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death”
-James F. Bymes
Fear is perhaps the most difficult roadblock to attaining great wealth. It’s a natural human reaction. It’s not all bad – it’s useful to protect ourselves from harm and death. However much of the fear we feel has little or nothing to do with injury or death but rather we’re protecting ourselves from perceived emotional injury, from perceived financial injury and by and large to protect our pride our ego.
Would you really let a potential slice to your ego or emotions prohibit you from attaining all you desire? Of course not! When those little seeds of fear surface, recognize them for what they are, turn them around or set them aside, and continue on your confident path toward your goals – whatever they may be.
To Your Success!
Jeremy Gislason
SureFireWealth INC
SureFireWealth.com
What do you think about Crossing the Bridge of Fear? Have you had any real life experiences that you overcame? Leave your comments below…
You are free to link back to this article from your websites, blogs and social bookmark sites as well as tell others via email or word of mouth.
December 4th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
“Fear, is a state of mind. Nothing more nothing less. The good news…you are in control of your state of mind.”
This is the most important part of your article!
I am in control of my feelings and I alone.
I find that the more you do things, not only do you get better, but you also get more confidence in doing it.
Never say, “I can’t do this”, Say, “I will find a way to this!”
The best is to motivate oneself by listening to motivational speeches, even if it is for a few minutes before you start your day.
Thanks for the great article!
Scott
December 4th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Again, a very valuable lesson in life, Jeremy.
Without a doubt, we create our own reality.
Keep these great articles coming,
albert grande
December 4th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Dear Jeremy,
Great and insitefull blogg. Thank you Jeremy. I agree with you. I also believe fear in extreme can be an actual spirit. I am not a fearfull person by nature and keep pushing myself into fresh learning situations. Money is something else again. Theres a lot more going on under the surface I think.
Thanks for being a very nice person.
Pixie.
December 4th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Jeremy;
That was a great article and very true. Fear either keeps you going or takes you down. It’s all in how you choose to use it. You can take that adraline you get from fear and use it to your advantage or let it pull you down into depression, as some do. “It truly is your choice”.
You are so right, If you are having problems facing your fears, then the best thing to do is to step back out of the forest and take a long hard look at the trees. Then maybe you can see opportunities that are coming your way!
Thanks,
Ron Martin
December 4th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
“Fear” can sometimes be overwhelming. It will control you if you don’t control it. Controlling your fear from whatever it may be is only a state of mind. The conscious mind will control whatever the subconcious mind conceives and is the basis of where fear originates.
There are a number remedies to control fear and one is to say positive daily affirmations and to believe in yourself.
Remember that you can always make a difference in how you think, whether it be positive or negative.
Great topic.
Dave
December 4th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hi Jeremy,
Great article and great topic…very important.
It’s been said that achieving success in anything is 80% mindset and 20% ‘mechanics’. What this means is, that the ‘how to’ of doing something (mechanics) is only approximately 20% of the equation. The mindset and the mental attitude towards the goal is the 80% and therefore much more important.
Obviously this is why so many people fall short of achieving what they set out to do. If you gave 100 people a step by step blue print for achieving wealth and financial freedom within a year (let’s say $1 million) and only 2 or 3% of the people actually went on to fulfil this goal, why would this happen?
They have all been given the exact same information. They all have the same ‘how to’. So what separates the achievers from the others? It has to be the mindset and the mental attitude towards the achievement of the goal. Now, this goes for the successful attainment of any goal, but I’m talking here specifically about going out and earning money and ultimately becoming wealthy and financially free.
You don’t need reminding of all the ‘doom and gloom’ out there just now. Everyone ‘crippled’ with fear, businesses shutting down all over the country and beyond. People don’t know from one day to the next if they will have a job when they wake up in the morning. This is actually where the mindset kicks in, one way or the other.
You have to decide if you are going to cower away in a corner overcome by fear with your fingers crossed and pray that everything is going to turn out ‘okay’. Or…get up, get a grip of yourself, take control and responsibility for you own life and do something about it. This is where the mindset starts.
It’s the first step that most people will take, sometimes out of sheer desperation. They’ll get up and decide they are going to go out and make some extra cash to see themselves and their family are safe and secure. They’re full of good positive intentions, the attitude is good and they want it. Then something happens, something that stops the momentum.
It usually begins with overwhelm, it then moves on to lack of self belief. Fear…fear of failure, fear of success, fear of being laughed at, fear of what family and friends might say. It could be (and most probably is) a combination of many things, but the point being made is, that it’s FEAR in some form. It’s what holds people back, steals their dreams, stops them from taking action and keeps them in mediocrity….and it makes me MAD!
I hate to see it happen and it happens all the time. What is fear anyway? You’ve probably heard the old acronym, F.alse…E.vidence…A.ppearing…R.eal. Well, that’s true to a point. Fear is almost always based on past experiences or, what MIGHT happen in the future. Both scenarios are only thoughts in our minds and are definitely NOT real.
It’s not to say that we should all be going out ‘Gung-Ho’ and jumping on every opportunity or bit of advice we come across. However…life is far too short (in the grand scale of things) to be disempowered to the extent of not taking action and full responsibility for your own life and future. Look at past experiences and so called ‘failures’ as life’s lessons and move on. Then, look at future based fears as challenges or tests. Go out there and take life by the scruff of the neck, decide today that “I deserve better and I can do this” and break through those fears.
The ‘How To’ of becoming wealthy is out there. Many ‘ordinary’ people have done it and are doing it right now. So, put your shoulders back, stick out your chest, hold up your head and take a deep empowering breath and go out and create your own life. A life of financial security and freedom. You know you can do it.
December 4th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
F.E.A.R. – achronymum for “False evidence appearing real”
bye
December 4th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Great article Jeremy! I like the concept of comparing/contrasting the worst and best outcomes of the thing you fear. It can open your eyes to the opportunities that lay before you if you will just take the first step.
Thanks.
Scott
December 4th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I loved your blog and the comments. As a young woman, I had no trouble forging ahead despite my fears. However, in midlife, I experienced several horrific setbacks that left me mired in some of the fears you described above. I have never stopped fighting to overcome my fears, but I have noticed more indecision and procrastination.
I’d love to see your comments about overcoming fear after you have experienced deep setbacks. I will also look forward to whatever else you have to say on this topic. Keep the information coming.
December 5th, 2008 at 12:24 am
Thanks Jeremy! The topics is important. I like the article.
Hello to everyone, who visits this blog, and leaves a comment.
I like when real people share their opinion with others.
“The human body is a temple of the human mind”
What would you say to keep the “temple”?
I’ll suggest contacts with the Nature and wild places,too.
Out of the gyms and urban places.
Hiking, skiing, surfing, scuba diving. The choice is personal.
The fear is been substituted with the satisfaction and confidence.
Nice feeling, biological result, without brainstorming, believe me
Do not forget to repeat this, please, for better results.
Marcia, I would ad to your comment, some of the lessons of Don Juan,
from Journey to Ixtlan, by Carlos Castaneda.
“ Bring your child to touch a dead person”
“Pay to someone, unknown in the family, to beat your child”
“This wonderful view, from the top of the mountain, is my gift for you, today”
The emotions make us real people.
It would be nice to know, in the situations, where our personal borders are.
Sometimes, the unconscious insights are fast, and better, than the conscious ones.
Do we sense them?
December 5th, 2008 at 1:46 am
INteresting topic, thanks for the info and chance to comment.
One important aspect is missing from this discussion. I saw no mention of the power and capacity of the subconscious mind.
December 5th, 2008 at 2:59 am
Looks like you hit the nail on the head with this report. There are times that I feel the same way and because of it I end up not completing what I am trying to accomplish. I call it fear of success. What ever it is, I call it fear and it would be so nice to rid myself of it.
John
December 5th, 2008 at 3:30 am
A good article, indeed. Self growth is such an important part of success in business.
I relate strongly to the comments by Marcia Ming above. I too had a major setback and it basically robbed me of my faith in my own ability to create what I want in life. I spiralled down into working very hard and getting nothing for it, with my financial resources totally depleted. Then I came across “The Science of Getting Rich”, and that helped me to realize where I was headed with my thinking, and to turn it around. Now things are opening up for me again, new opportunities are presenting themselves in many areas and I feel increasingly confident. I’m also reading “Money and the Law of Attaction” by Esther Hicks, it is a powerful book.
December 5th, 2008 at 11:21 am
It’s very good.
thank you
herry
December 6th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Fear – real or imagined – Be careful giving advice in this area.
Some people have real (perhaps only to them) fears. Fear of hurting a loved one for example. This type of fear requires serious treatment. The worst case scenario cannot be played out. If you have fear of injuring yourself or someone else, please please seek professional help – it is there for you …
Do not think about carrying out the worst case scenario …
December 8th, 2008 at 4:22 am
Hello Jeremy,
I appreciate your well presented demonstration of fear and the opportunity to make a comment.
Fear is not overcome once and for all!
Dealing with fear is ongoing and is ultimately how we grow AND achieve our goals and successes.
As a business person, my biggest challenge was and sometimes still is, networking.
I came from a corporate environment, where most of the people I associated with were co-workers.
When I started my own business as a financial distributor, I had to go out and meet total strangers.
Talk about fear and being outside my comfort zone.
But, I am getting good at it and somtimes even find it empowering.
Thanks again, Jeremy!
December 12th, 2008 at 2:08 am
Doubt and Fear go hand in hand. Hope and Faith and Fear and Doubt cannot coexist at the same time in the same place. As I focus on hope and exercise faith then fear and doubt dissipate and waste away and in their place I experience joy and peace.
Thank you for this opportunity to pontificate…..