“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”~ Nelson Mandela

Did I ever tell you how I learned to swim when I was 13 years old?! My dad, kept trying to teach me to swim. I loved the pool and wanted to swim as well, but I just could not get myself to the deep side of the pool. I feared, if I cant feel the floor of the pool under my feet I would drown. That fear held me back and simultaneously upset me as well. By then my dad had taught me all the styles of swimming, the front stroke, back stroke, doggy paddle etc but all in the shallow end.

One fine day, when everyone else was jumping off the dive board happily and I was still in the shallow end feeling down, my dad called me outside the pool to hand me something. As soon as I walked towards him, he said “Hey baby, see you on the other side and keep paddling”…laughingly…and then SPLASH he pushed me in the deep end. I kid you not, I went right down the pool to touch my feet in the deepest end and pushed myself back up and kept paddling like my freaking life depended on it!!

In that moment, I was SO angry with my dad. How dare he push me in the deep end. So, I swam right around the pool towards where he was and started telling him off as to how he could do that…etc etc. All the while all he did was smile. That cheesed me off even more, and then he sat me down and said, “Zee, you swam right across the deepest end of the pool and huffed and puffed to come scream at me. You do realize you can now swim anywhere right? And I knew you would. Fear the deep end, but jump anyway. There is fun on the other side of it.”

Honestly, it had not even dawned on me that, in that fear and anger I swam just because I wanted to go tell him off. But I swam, in the deep end!! And then of course never stopped jumping off the diving board! 🙂

What is fear?

Fear is an emotional response to a perceived threat or danger. It is a natural and instinctive reaction that prepares the body and mind to either confront or flee from the threat (the “fight or flight” response). While fear is a basic survival mechanism, it has been labelled as a negative emotion by most people.

In this article I would like to bring to light how Fear, no matter how negative an emotion it is, can play and powerful, positive and transformative role in allowing us to move forward and succeed in life.

Here’s why:

1. Fear as a Survival Mechanism

Fear is hardwired into us as a survival tool. From an evolutionary standpoint, it keeps us alert to danger, helping us avoid harm. But beyond immediate physical threats, fear has evolved to include other risks like failure, rejection, or the unknown. This biological response sharpens our focus and forces us to make decisions that enhance our chances of survival or success.

2. Fear Signals Growth Opportunities

When we fear something, it often means we’re stepping outside our comfort zone. New challenges—whether personal, professional, or emotional—can feel intimidating, but they also signal areas of potential growth. Moving toward fear often means you’re pushing past self-imposed limits, confronting weaknesses, or breaking free of stagnation.

3. Fear as Motivation

Fear can act as a motivating force. For example, fear of failure might push someone to work harder, prepare more thoroughly, or refine their skills. Fear of regret, on the other hand, can prompt people to take action they might otherwise avoid. It often pushes us to chase our ambitions or desires before time runs out, helping us realize the importance of seizing opportunities.

4. Overcoming Fear Builds Resilience

Facing and overcoming fear is a powerful way to build confidence and resilience. Every time you conquer a fear, no matter how small, you gain proof that you’re capable of more than you thought. This builds momentum, making it easier to face bigger fears in the future.

5. Fear Forces Clarity

Fear has a way of distilling what’s important. When you face fear head-on, it often helps you focus on what truly matters to you. It forces you to assess your priorities and evaluate whether what you’re afraid of is worth holding you back or whether the risk is worth the reward.

6. Fear Enhances Creativity and Problem-Solving

When we’re in situations that provoke fear, our brains are pushed to think outside the box. This can foster creativity and encourage innovative solutions. Fear stimulates us to think more critically, assess different strategies, and adapt to new situations, which can ultimately lead to breakthroughs in personal growth.

In Conclusion

In essence, fear, when managed properly, can be a catalyst for growth, helping us to evolve personally and professionally.

Instead of seeing it as an obstacle, recognizing it as a signal of new opportunities or a motivator for action can turn it into an asset. Fear is necessary to move forward because it challenges us to confront the unknown and achieve more than we thought possible.

FEAR

a poem by Khalil Gibran

It is said that before entering the sea
a river trembles with fear.

She looks back at the path she has traveled,
from the peaks of the mountains,
the long winding road crossing forests and villages.

And in front of her,
she sees an ocean so vast,
that to enter
there seems nothing more than to disappear forever.

But there is no other way.
The river can not go back.

Nobody can go back.
To go back is impossible in existence.

The river needs to take the risk
of entering the ocean
because only then will fear disappear,
because that’s where the river will know
it’s not about disappearing into the ocean,
but of becoming the ocean.

The reason I shared this poem is because this poem has been motivating me to move beyond my fears since I was 13 years old. That’s the first time I picked up a book by Khalil Gibran from my dad’s library. At the time I understood very little of the words in the book, but I still remember this poem spoke to me. The metaphor of the river being scared before entering the sea stayed with me during the most difficult teenage years and many years after. I would visualize myself as the river when I was faced with a difficult situation and fear was taking over. Learning to push through the fear and do what I needed to do was something this poem motivated me towards.
I hope the words inspire you and stir you as they did me. They still do.

Your turn: Did what I shared in this article resonate with you? What are your thoughts on this topic? Share your thoughts in the comments ❤

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