The Illusion of Fear

crossroads of courage and fear

Fear is the only thing that stops us in life. Fear of failure, fear of success, fear that we’re not good enough, fear that the challenges ahead will be greater than our strength to overcome them. It prevents us from taking action in our life and creating the change that is necessary to progress and grow.

If I asked you to make a list right now of all the times fear got in your way, all the times it stopped you from trying something new or prevented you from going after what you wanted in life, how long would that list be? Would you need a few paragraphs? A few pages? Would you fill the whole notebook? I know some of us could write an entire novel based on our past experiences with fear. Many people
already have.

But fear is just an illusion. It is the perception our mind creates when we tell ourselves that the world cannot meet our needs, or, perhaps even more detrimental, that we cannot meet the needs of the world. If you choose to hold onto these limiting beliefs, then you will be correct. You will not be good enough. You will not have what it takes to overcome the inevitable obstacles that await. You will be met with disappointment and failure quickly in the journey because that is what you chose to build your path with. However, what if you chose to let go of the fear? What if I could delete all the limiting beliefs you created in your mind? What would happen if you chose to believe that you possess everything you need to achieve your goals? What if I told you that the inevitable obstacles that lie ahead will only strengthen you, never stop you? If you choose to believe that you will succeed, then you will be correct.

There are endless examples of people who have overcome catastrophic circumstances and unrelenting disappointments to ultimately achieve cosmic success. Oprah Winfrey was born into poverty, sexually abused as a child, and pregnant by fourteen. Viktor Frankl was a prisoner of Nazi concentration camps, witnessing the death of his family and pregnant wife. Not only did he survive the Holocaust and become one of the most respected figures in the field of psychology, but he went on to sell millions of copies of a book he wrote in 9 days. Sylvester Stallone was born with facial nerve damage and paralysis as a result of complications and errors made during the birthing process. We all know what “Rocky” went on to accomplish. Countless people have surpassed the limitations that society has placed on them, done what the world told them they could never do. So why not you?

The moment you have the courage to accept that you are the sole creator of your limitations, you will have the courage to eliminate them from your life. Right now, identify the reasons fear has told you something is not possible. Has fear told you that the your business can’t survive in this economy? Has fear told you that there is nothing you can do to change your circumstances? Or maybe it has tried to convince you that you have no control over your path to success? Remember, YOU control the illusion of fear. You created it and you can destroy it.

Written by: Aubrey Koel, LPC