3Harnessing Fear to Your Advantage

Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.

—Japanese proverb

IN THE MIDDLE AGES, a notorious thief was taken before the king of Lyonesse to pay for his crimes. The king had the convict taken down into the castle's musty cellar, where he offered the man a choice of two punishments. He could be swiftly hung on the gallows or face what was behind a large, foreboding rusty iron door. Without hesitation, the thief chose the rope. As the hangman placed the noose around his neck, the thief inquired, “My king I beseech you, what's behind that door?”

“I offer all the same choice,” the King exclaimed with a laugh, “yet everyone chooses the rope.”

With his last breath, as the hangman tightened the knot around his neck, the thief pleaded again, “Obviously, I won't tell anyone. What's behind the door?”

“Freedom,” sighed the King, adding, “but it seems most people are more afraid of the unknown than death.”

Truth #3 – Fear Is Good

Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will. From the parable of the talents in the New Testament, to the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz, we are taught that fear is a sin or, at best, a human weakness. Because of these pervasive cultural stigmas, every time we fear failure or rejection, fear public humiliation or financial ruin, we feel ashamed and unworthy. Honestly, who among us would have chosen the iron door?

As much as motivational speakers love to exclaim, “What would you do if you couldn't fail?” we know that we ...

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