Fear is a basic human instinct and is essential for our survival, it is our fight or flight response to perceived danger or threats. Without it, we would certainly have a shorter life span and more physical and emotional pain. However, we all perceive fear entirely different and therefore we have our own unique ways of dealing with it. One person might think jumping out of a plane is completely insane, because it violates their idea of safety. Whereas other people crave that thrill and excitement, and they jump out of planes on a regular basis. We all process the feeling of fear differently.
For example, picture a woman mountain climbing in western Colorado, she is about to make a release maneuver 800 ft. above the ground. Meaning she will completely let go of the hold she has on the cliff to move to the next hold in her climb, a very risky and advanced move. As she lets go of the cliff, freeze frame! Look at her adrenal and cortisol levels (these are the chemicals released by the brain and the adrenal gland), they are through the roof!
Now, come back to Denver, a man is standing on an 8 ft. step ladder placing the last ornament on the Christmas tree at the very top. This man is afraid of heights. When you freeze frame him, do you think his adrenal and cortisol levels are any different than the woman rock climbing? No, his are through the roof as well! Two different scenarios, to similar reactions to danger, and exactly the same chemical levels in both of them. How is this possible?
Fear is a basic instinct, it does not matter what the stimulus is that triggers the fight or flight response within your body. What matters is how we perceive that which creates the feeling of fear. For the woman that is rock climbing, she registers the moment she moves cliffs as being alive. For the man on the step ladder, he registers that last ornament as never being closer to death!
Think about how you process your fears today, when you feel those emotions, does it mean that you are close to death? Or are you feeling the thrill of life? What causes fear for you? Fear tells you that you have to play it safe, because there is a threat, but you never find Greatness by playing it safe. Greatness is about taking risks, confronting your fears, taking falls and learning from them, taking the leap of faith! Think about where in your life you are playing it safe, then reframe those emotions and access your Greatness!
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