Are You More Driven By Fear As You Approach Old Age, Or By Inspiration?

Deb frightened me to death, when she scaled Angel’s Landing, as it was getting dark, raining, and with a >800 feet drop on either side of a narrow peak. I couldn’t get close, being frozen by fear.

“The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”: FDR’s First Inaugural Address” History Matters.

Hi folks, welcome!

I’m scared of heights and poverty, I don’t seem to be anxious about aging or dying, particularly, but I am frightened of  not living my life to the full, which can be a living death and a terrible waste.

This path in Zion National Park, running along a cliff edge (somewhere between 200 and 800 feet high), scared the crap out of me, causing me to freeze, clutch the wall, try to hide in the corner of the path against the cliff, and generally look like a weeny. Photo by FitOldDog.

From time to time I reflect on the role that fear plays in my life, and Brian Germain’s excellent book on the subject, Transcending Fear, Battling The Enemy Within, which I am currently rereading. Why am I rereading it? Because I started to lose some sleep due to concerns about the success of my business attempts, and the issue of money, which right now is not an urgent problem, but it could be. Isn’t that where fear generally derives, from our minds saying, “Watch out, it could be!”

You might think that alcohol makes us stupid, but in my case, with respect to acrophobia in The Grand Canyon, a single whisky, taken to combat cold, completely eliminated my fear of heights, whilst (while, sorry!!!) leaving me in sufficient control of my actions to not do anything unwise along the high altitude visitors paths. Dutch Courage! 

Alcohol can make us stupid, but so can fear!

I tried to take myself into this same fearless place the next day, by willpower alone, with a little success.

I know that it is within my control – the only solution, I suspect, is to take on the fear and go to high places. It is only fear that holds me back from enjoying some of the grandest scenery that the world has to offer, and from parachuting, for that matter.

This all makes me wonder if fear is holding me back in my attempts to become a businessman. It’s worth exploring, I think.

Is fear holding you back from the dreams of a lifetime?

Cheers,

FitOldDog