Through decades of pushing boundaries in military aviation, followed by battling life-threatening tickborne infections, I’ve experienced my fair share of fear…and it’s taught me A LOT. One of the most important things I’ve learned is this: fear will always find you, but it’s up to you how you use it.
Fear is never far away, and if you want to thrive, you have to understand that it’s part of the process. It can be very valuable when you view it as a friend instead of an enemy, an aide instead of an adversary–it’s simply a matter of perspective and how you choose to approach it. For me, fear is fuel…
Fear is what ignites breakthrough thinking when you're sitting at the edge of your comfort zone. It shows up when you are faced with tough choices, risks, threats…. If you reframe fear as curiosity, excitement, or motivation, it will become a catalyst for growth and progress, making you more focused, constructive, and even more enthusiastic about what you’re doing. In other words, fear sparks innovation.
In pressure situations, fear can drive people to innovate. It helps us to refine current plans and procedures or pioneer new ones. Here’s what I’ve observed in high-stakes scenarios: fear challenges and compels people to think outside the box in our pursuit of ambitious goals. Whether you’re in military combat or launching a new company, or you’re facing difficult health issues or leading your organization through major changes, fear is the driving force that pushes you to problem-solve more creatively.
So, now that you’re on board, I bet you’re wondering: how can we harness fear as fuel for progress and growth?
Here are three steps to reframing your relationship with fear:
- View fear as an instructor, telling you to bring your A-game to every situation.
- Use fear to stimulate your creativity and innovation.
- Channel your fear into strength through vulnerability.
There are only two ways to go when you encounter fear on the way to success. You can choose to retreat to the straightest, most familiar path where you’re apt to slow down or stall, or proceed to the bend in the road less traveled where you’re more likely to innovate and grow. In my experience, the path to progress, evolution, and success is always nonlinear.
Which path will YOU choose?
