This week, I want to write about fear. I’ve been fortunate not to have many scary experiences in my life. One exception was at Great America when there was supposedly a shooting—though it turned out to just be a loud sound. Still, it was scary, and it’s sad that these are things we even have to think about in America.
That said, I believe fear can sometimes be an opportunity to push yourself. I think this is why people enjoy extreme sports, and I can understand their perspective. For example, if you’ve ever learned how to do a backflip, you probably remember how hard it was to get over the fear of flipping backward over your head. I wish I could find the video, but I still remember the first time I tried it. I stood on the edge of a playground set, for 5–6 minutes, just trying to convince myself to go for it. But once I finally did, I felt so accomplished.
I think that’s what drives people who push their skills to the extreme—they’re chasing that sense of achievement. And because they’re so good at what they do, the things they accomplish are pretty crazy. Reflecting on this, I want to start challenging myself with more things I’m “scared” of.
I’m not saying I’m ready to start base jumping off cliffs or anything that extreme. But I honestly can’t remember the last time I really overcame a fear like that. Setting a goal to confront fears—even small ones—seems like a great way to make life more exciting. Kudos to the people who are already overcoming their fears because I think some people reading this are doing that.
It doesn’t have to be something terrifying, either. Small steps are good. It could be as simple as diving a little deeper underwater than you have before. The fear doesn’t have to be something physical, either. It could be stepping out of your comfort zone socially, like moving to a different country (that’s my current plan). That might be a big leap but maybe a smaller one could be practicing Japanese or Spanish at the grocery store.
A few months ago, I wrote about my goals in another newsletter. I’ve actually been tracking them and have been meaning to write an update—but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. Now, I think I’ll make a new list of goals, and overcoming a fear on a regular basis will definitely be one of them.