Overcome Your Fears
Rick, my best friend growing up lived approximately two
miles from my house. I lived in a small mining town in Michigan with only sixteen houses.
Ninety feet out my front door was Lake Huron. We only had three streets in our town and
one led from my house to Rick’s along the shore of the lake. Between my house and his
were a lot of trees and one huge house. This house was vacant, busted windows, and a hedge
that was probably twelve feet tall, so when we walked by we could only see the rooftop.
Through the small front gate we could catch a glimpse of the creepy place.
OK, I hate to admit it, but it’s true. When I had to
walk home at night from Rick’s and would approach the "house" I’d get
about fifty yards from the house and sprint as fast as I could beyond it.
You see, at night, when it was dark and the wind was
blowing, my imagination and fear got the best of me. I was sure something terrible was
going to happen to me from that house.
What’s extraordinary is during the day we would
rummage around in the house from cellar to attic feeling brave and comfortable. The
difference: we had light. With it, we had no reason to be scared.
Isn’t that a lot like life? If we are in the dark
about something we are more apt to fear our performance or the outcome. How exactly do we
turn on the light to eliminate or minimize the fear?
Turning on the light means doing your homework or running
some reconnaissance. For example, reading out loud in public has for years been a fear of
mine. If someone told me I had to read a report tomorrow to an audience I would study what
I was to read and read it out loud. Additionally, I might go the place where I would be
reading to familiarize myself with the setting and get comfortable. I would probably read
there too. This would eliminate most of my fears.
I can remember in high school how I dreaded being in front
of the class speaking and now I am an international speaker.
If you want to turn on the light and overcome your fears do
your homework, get comfortable, then take a leap: it’s narrower than you think.
Lastly and most important, don’t be influenced by things, friends, circumstances or
people that drive your fears. Turn on the light and overcome your fears.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
F.D. Roosevelt
President |
