Fear Can Ride Along - It Just Can’t Drive
Fear shows up for a reason.
It’s there to keep us alert, to point out potential risks, to help us avoid real danger. In that sense, fear isn’t the enemy - it’s information.
The problem comes when fear takes the wheel.
When Fear Is Driving
When fear is in charge, decisions start coming from a place of protection instead of purpose.
We hesitate to:
raise prices
let go of something that isn’t working
take a new direction with products or sales outlets
rest when we’re exhausted
Not because those things are wrong, but because fear is telling us it’s safer to stay where we are.
And when fear drives, we don’t usually end up somewhere we want to be. We just circle the same roads over and over.
A Better Role for Fear
Fear is always going to be with us. Unfortunately we’re stuck with it, but we can learn to manage our fear.
I like to imagine it’s sitting in the passenger seat.
It can point out potential hazards.
It can remind us to look both ways.
It can help us slow down when something actually deserves caution.
But it doesn’t get to choose the route or destination, that’s my job.
You Don’t Have to Feel Brave to Move Forward
Waiting until fear is gone is a losing game.
Fear often shows up right alongside growth, change, and decisions that matter. The goal isn’t to eliminate it, it’s to notice it without letting it decide everything for you.
When you acknowledge fear instead of fighting it, it loses some of its power.
A Question to Sit With
Where is fear controlling your decisions right now? What would it look like if you stopped letting fear drive?