Continuing my conversation with my younger self…
Current Self: Hey, let’s talk about fear, because you’re going to experience a lot of it.
Younger Self: Ok, sure.
Current Self: Fear isn’t your enemy. It’s your compass — your guide. You’re gonna want to walk towards it.
Younger Self: My compass? That doesn’t make sense. Fear means danger. Why would I go towards it?
Current Self: Danger, sometimes. But its mostly just emotional danger.
Younger Self: I don’t know. Isn’t safety what we ultimately want?
Current Self: Well, let’s look at. When’s the last time something amazing happened when you weren’t a little afraid?
Younger Self: Hmmmm
Current Self: Now, what happened when you were a little afraid? Like when you talked to the girl, or gave the presentation, or jumped off the 10-meter platform?
Younger Self: OK, good stuff. But there were times when fear led to failure, too.
Current Self: And those failures? They were the sparks that fueled your fire. Every fall was a stepping stone, each failure a lesson. Fear will lie, but you must hear the truth in its whisper. That truth? That you are limitless.
Younger Self: I never thought of it that way.
Current Self: Start thinking of fear as a challenge, a riddle to solve. Go towards it, embrace it, wrestle with it. It’s a wild ride, and it’s where life truly begins.
Younger Self: It’s still scary, though.
Current Self: That means you’re on the right track.
