YOUR COURAGE
YOU NEED LARGE AMOUNTS OF SELF-DISCIPLINE TO DEAL COURAGEOUSLY WITH ALL THE FEAR-INDUCING EVENTS OF YOUR LIFE. THIS IS PROBABLY WHY CHURCHILL SAID, "COURAGE IS RIGHTLY CONSIDERED THE FOREMOST OF THE VIRTUES, FOR UPON IT, ALL OTHERS DEPEND".
THE FACT IS THAT EVERYONE IS AFRAID - AND USUALLY OF MANY THINGS. THIS IS NORMAL AND NATURAL, OFTEN, FEAR IS NECESSARY TO PRESERVE LIFE, PREVENT INJURY, AND GUARD AGAINST FINANCIAL MISTAKES.
SO IF EVERYONE IS AFRAID, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BRAVE PERSON AND THE COWARD? THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE BRAVE PERSON DISCIPLINES HIMSELF TO CONFRONT, DEAL WITH, AND ACT IN SPITE OF THE FEAR. IN CONTRAST, THE COWARD ALLOWS HIMSELF TO BE DOMINATED AND CONTROLLED BY THE FEAR. SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT - WITH REGARD TO WARFARE, ALTHOUGH IT APPLIES TO ANY SITUATION - "THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HERO AND THE COWARD IS THAT THE HERO STICKS IN THERE FIVE MINUTES LONGER".
FEARS CAN BE UNLEARNED
FORTUNATELY, ALL FEARS ARE LEARNED, NO ONE IS BORN WITH FEARS. FEARS CAN THEREFORE BE UNLEARNED BY PRACTICING SELF-FEARS. REPETEDLY WITH REGARD TO FEAR UNTIL IT GOES AWAY.
THE MOST COMMON FEARS THAT WE EXPERIENCE, WHICH OFTEN SABOTAGE ALL HOPE FOR SUCCESS, ARE THE FEARS OF FAILURE, POVERTY, AND LOSS OF MONEY. THESE FEARS CAUSE PEOPLE TO AVOID RISK OF ANY KIND AND TO REJECT OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT IS PRESENTED TO THEM. THEY ARE SO AFRAID OF FAILURE THAT THEY ARE ALMOST PARALYZED WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING ANY CHANCES AT ALL.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER FEARS THAT INTERFERE WITH OUR HAPPINESS. PEOPLE FEAR THE LOSS OF LOVE OR THE LOSS OF THEIR JOBS AND THEIR FINANCIAL SECURITY. PEOPLE FEAR EMBARRASSMENT OR RIDICULE. PEOPLE FEAR REJECTION AND CRITICISM OF ANY KIND. PEOPLE FEAR THE LOSS OF RESPECT OR ESTEEM OF OTHERS. THESE AND MANY FEARS HOLD US BACK THROUGHOUT LIFE.
FEAR PARALYZES ACTION
THE MOST COMMON REACTION IN A FEAR SITUATION IS THE ATTITUDE OF, "I CAN'T!" THIS IS THE FEAR OF FAILURE AND LOSS THAT STOPS US FROM TAKING ACTION. IT IS EXPERIENCED PHYSICALLY, STARTING IN THE SOLAR PLEXUS. WHEN PEOPLE ARE REALLY AFRAID, THEIR MOUTH AND THROAT GO DRY, THEIR HEART STARTS POUNDING. SOMETIMES THEY BREATHE SHALLOWLY AND THEIR STOMACH CHURNS. OFTEN THEY FEEL LIKE GETTING UP AND RUNNING TO THE BATHROOM.
THESE ARE ALL PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF THE INHIBITIVE NEGATIVE HABIT PATTERNS, WHICH WE ALL EXPERIENCE FROM TIME TO TIME. WHENEVER A PERSON IS IN THE GRIP OF FEAR, HE FEELS LIKE A DEER CAUGHT IN THE HEADLIGHTS OF A CAR. THIS FEAR PARALYZES ACTION. IT OFTEN SHUTS DOWN THE BRAIN AND CAUSES THE INDIVIDUAL TO REVERT TO THE FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT" REACTION. FEAR IS A TERRIBLE EMOTION THAT UNDERMINES OUR HAPPINESS AND CAN HOLD US BACK THROUGHOUT OUR HAPPINESS AND CAN HOLD US BACK THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES.
DO THE OPPORSITE
ARISTOTLE DESCRIBED COURAGE AS THE "GOLDEN MEAN" BETWEEN THE EXTREMES OF COWARDICE AND IMPETUOUSNESS. HE TAUGHT THAT "TO DEVELOPE A QUALITY THAT YOU LOOK, ACT AS IF YOU ALREADY HAD THAT QUALITY IN EVERY SITUATION WHERE IT IS CALLED FOR". IN MODERN TERMS, HOWEVER, WE SAY, "FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT".
YOU CAN ACTUALLY CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR BY AFFIRMING, VISUALIZING, AND ACTING AS IF YOU ALREAD HAVE THE QUALITY YOU DESIRE. BY AFFIRMING, BY REPEATING THE WORDS, " I CAN DO IT"! EMPHATICALLY WHENEVER YOU FEEL AFRAID FOR ANY REASON, YOU CAN CANCEL THE FEELING OF "I CAN IT".
EVERY TIME YOU REPEAT THE WORDS " I CAN DO IT!" WITH CONVICTION, YOU OVERRIDE YOUR FEAR AND INCREASE YOUR CONFIDENCE. BY REPEATING THIS AFFIRMATION OVER AND OVER AGAIN, YOU CAN EVENTUALLY BUILD YOUR COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE TO THE POINT WHERE YOU ARE UNAFRAID.
VISUALIZE YOURSELF AS UNAFRAID
BY VISUALIZING YOURSELF PERFORMING WITH CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE IN AN AREA WHERE YOU ARE FEARFUL, YOUR VISUAL IMAGE WILL EVENTUALLY BE ACCEPTED BY YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND AS INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE. YOUR SELF-IMAGE, THE WAY YOU SEE YOURSELF IS EVENTUALLY ALTERED BY FEEDING YOUR MIND THESE POSITIVE MENTAL PICTURES OF YOURSELF PERFORMING AT YOUR BEST.
BY USING THE "ACT AS IF" METHOD, YOU WALK, TALK, AND CARRY YOURSELF EXACTLY AS YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE COMPLETELY UNAFRAID IN A PARTICULAR SITUATION. YOU STAND UP STRAIGHT, SMILE, MOVE QUICKLY AND CONFIDENTLY, AND IN EVERY RESPECT ACT AS IF YOU ALREADY HAD THE COURAGE THAT YOU DESIRE.
THE LAW OF REVERSIBILITY SAYS THAT "IF YOU FEEDL A CERTAIN WAY, YOU WILL ACT IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THAT FEELING, EVEN IF YOU ACT IN A MANNER CONSISTET WITH THAT FEELING. BUT IF YOU ACT IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THAT FEELING, EVEN IF YOU DON'T FEEL IT, THE LAW OF REVERSIBILITY WILL CREATE THE FEELING THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH YOUR ACTIONS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST BREAKTHROUGHS IN SUCCESS PSYCHOLOGY. YOU DEVELOP THE COURAGE YOU DESIRE BY DISCIPLINING YOURSELF REPEATEDLY TO DO THE THING YOU FEAR UNTIL THAT FEAR EVENTUALLY DISSAPPEARS - AND IT WILL.
