Creating Success from the Inside Out: Develop The Focus and Strategy To Uncover the Life You Want

Chapter III. The Dark Hall of Fear

When you put together all the excuses, all the reasons people give for not going out on their own, for not following their dreams, for not believing in themselves and following their dreams, it really all boils down to one word: fear. Fear of the unknown is a common thing and for some people, staying broke or staying in a miserable job or relationship is somehow less uncomfortable than facing the big, bad world and embracing change. Facing the unknown. Facing the "what ifs" of life.

Why do I name fear as the source for all the excuses and other things that hold us back in life? Because we alter our actions based on fear. If a car is hurtling toward you at 100 miles an hour, your heart skips a beat, your breathing kicks into short breaths, and you jump out of the way. You react. We respond to faith, but we react to fear. Faith motivates us in a positive way. But it's not our faith that holds us back, it's our fear.

People who are too scared to make a decision, or who procrastinate until they're "ready," are simply reacting differently to their fears. The person who swaggers and threatens you in the mall, and the person who can't look you in the eye when they talk to you, are both reacting to fear. The person full of anger and resentment, and the person overcome by depression... all fear. Fear is more than just being scared. I like to spell it out this way:

FEAR: False Expectations that A ppear Real

Fear is the opposite of faith, whether faith ...