If you wait until all the lights are ‘green’ before you leave home, you’ll never get started on your trip to the top. – Zig Ziglar
By Mars Dorian
O my.
The dreaded four letter word starting with F.
The F-bomb that can sweep across the whole planet and panic everyone.
Of course, we’re talking…
#Fear
The obstructor of grrreatness. The evil culprit. The devil in disguise.
Fear seems to be the worst thing that stops us in creating remarkable work.
A lot of people blame it for their failure to create something worth talking about – they should/would/could if it wasn’t for the deceptive lizard brain angst-ing their being.
Some people even talk about taming your fear like an animal or even SMASHING it to bits of pieces, an approach that sounds cool but isn’t helpful.
Fear is neutral – it all depends on how YOU use it.
Treat fear like a valuable guest that gets invited to your house.
As long as it’s the guest and you’re in charge, you’ll enjoy a VALUABLE relationship.
But when the guest takes over the house and calls the shots, boy, you’re in trouble.
That’s when you hear all the horror stories – fear prevented me from doing (blank), I didn’t follow my life dream because of fear, and so on and on. You know the excuses.
That only happens when you let fear run your house, but what about the scenario when YOU run fear ?
Oh boy, that’s where all the magic happens.
Because in essence, fear is good. Yes, I truly mean that, and I’m going to repeat it :
Fearrrrrr is gooood.
And no, I’m not trying to lure you into the dark side (sorry, Sith !).
I’m trying to convince you that fear can you be your greatest creativity booster IF you know how to use it for good.
Just think about it.
If fear would be so bad, why did mother nature equipped you with it ?
There must be a reason for it, and I’m not just talking “Fight or Flight” response.
I’m talking about the use of fear in the 21st century.
Yes, I said “USE”.
How ?
Well, because fear SHOWS you the path to creating something worth talking about.
If you feel 100% safe, cushy and kumbayo-let’s-hug-each-other-comfy-style,
your won’t feel fear because you are in the safe zone. The place where you create
boring and bland work that doesn’t offend anyone but doesn’t please anyone either.
But when you do something different, something edgy, something you have not much information about, then your fear creeps in :
- What if people laugh at you ?
- What if people get pissed off by your new work ?
- What if people (fill in frightening punishment that will never happen)?
Well, when fear makes you think those thoughts, you know it’s the signal that shows you’re on the right path!
You’re venturing into the unknown – expanding your creative zone.
No one knows what will happen, but it will be exciting, and maybe even rewarding.
Opposed to the bland work you’re doing in the safe zone.
That’s how fear can be your grrreatest friend.
It’s your guide, your compass, your GPS to excellent creativity, baby.
When you create work and there’s no fear, you’re doing forgettable work.
But when you start sweating and think ‘OMG, can I really show this to the world?’, then you know you’re onto something HOT.
Every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a right line, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it. – Sir Isaac Newton
In essence, fear helps you deciding what’s worth doing.
So the next time it creeps up your spine while you’re doing your work, embrace it.
With arms wide open. And say:
“Thank you fear for showing me what kind of work I should be creating. Thank you for making me feel uncomfortable – I must be on the right way.
Thank you for guiding me towards grrrreatness.”
Now, the only question you should ask yourself is – are you getting used by fear or are you going to use it ?