Know Fear to Succeed

Tim Ferriss of The 4-Hour Workweek fame discusses how to succeed by using your fears. His short video shares how listing your worst-case fears prepare you for what most likely won’t happen. What it does do, is bring out in the open the distractions that are rolling around in your head and taking you out. Getting honest can be hard in the beginning, but as you continue writing your list, you’ll feel your energy pick up.

His next suggestion is to practice your fears. Here, he suggests you create strategies for these possible situations, and then rehearse dealing with them. This further decreases the fear, and enhances your understanding of the situation. If one of the fears does come true, you’re also prepared to deal with it.

Tim’s two suggestions go against the current mindset of focusing on the positive. It causes you to go into your feelings, which will often take you out despite all of your positive affirmations.

The power of Tim’s approach is mirrored in what we ask men in our men’s group, “What is at risk?” What would happen, what would you lose and/or gain, if you pursue a particular avenue? When this is done in such a way where it takes the man out of his head and deeper into his feelings, the process can be very empowering. The man gets to see and feel what his little voices are doing to him. The price he has paid for keeping these voices, but not addressing them directly. Once owned and felt; he can release them.

Let me know your success with this approach—or any other for that matter—for dealing with your fears.