No, not that one… F-E-A-R… 
People often think of fear as a red flag for trouble and do whatever possible to avoid feeling it. I see fear in a completely different light. Fear is my friend. Sure, there are times when fear is your body’s alarm for real trouble, but more often than not, fear is the alarm for something new, something unknown, a situation that is new or may be uncomfortable. It is an indicator that you are pushing yourself. And, if you are an entreprenuer, a go-getter, or a person who is committed to growth, your alarm will be sounding frequently… so you better learn to get used to, and one better, to embrace the fear.
Growth and success only happen out on the skinny branches of life. Transformation occurs on the edge of the envelope where there are risks; things are a little scary, often uncomfortable. These are the spots where fear is our friend. Instead of stopping, we should embrace the fear and look to see to what it is pointing. What are the limits or hurdles we are being faced with? Where do we need to grow and expand? What new lessons do we need to learn to push us forward, past the fear?
Use fear to your advantage. When embraced, it can spur you on to accomplish risky goals. It can provide the adrenaline you need to produce results. It can even guide you on your path to growth. How do you embrace it? First, recognize that it is just a feeling, and it is a feeling that is fleeting. It has a beginning and an end and all there is to do is let it pass through. Secondly, along that same path, don’t resist it… let your fear be, but don’t let your feelings dictate your actions. Keep moving forward. Finally, take it for what it is… an internal chemical reaction to something new and exciting… chemically, fear and excitement are exactly the same emotion. Why not reinterpret that red flag and wave it proudly?
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