WHAT ARE YOU SCARED OF?

This question can be unbelievably powerful if you stop to really think about it. It can be a truth teller, a motivator and a problem solver all at once if you answer it with candour.

This question is about the fear that holds you back in life because I don’t believe in fearless. Fear is a natural human emotion and one that is necessary. Fear is what stops people from fighting bears or jumping out of tall buildings. It’s can also be a positive motivator; fear of failure can drive people to work hard and fear of poor health can guide others to create positive lifestyle habits.

Fear can also get in our way though. Many of us have a passion and a fire to do something, but we allow fear to stop us. Unfortunately, it’s often the creative realm that suffers the most from fear. We’re scared to step outside of the status quo.

As adults we are told to focus on work, focus on ticking the adult boxes of house, marriage, children, career and to stay in our lane. We are rarely told to nurture our creativity or drive hard towards the things that make us happy, and so these are often the things that we are scared to explore.

I’m not just talking about creative writing, drawing, dancing and the like. Your creative passion might be in creating new business ideas, a new computer code or a new way of doing your work. Your passion may lie within the realms of your everyday life and there is some fear preventing you from exploring that creativity.

Maybe it’s fear of failure, fear of rejection or being scared of what the world thinks. Whatever it is, it’s important to know that you do yourself and the world a disservice by holding back.

Failure is necessary on the path to greatness, so embrace it as you explore your passion. As Rachel Hollis says, “failure is the price of admission”. You can’t expect to be perfect at something the first time you try, so see failure as a stepping stone. Similarly, try to welcome rejection, because it can make you better as you hone your craft.

If you’re exploring your passion then it doesn’t matter what the world thinks, because you’re filling your own cup and bringing yourself joy. Plus, the world is full of creative thinkers who bubble with differing opinions on greatness. If you put your work and ideas out into the world, chances are you’ll find some fans, some customers or some collaborators.

There’s too much to lose when you don’t start in the first place.

So, I ask you again.

What are you scared of?