Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway!
12/09/09 19:53
This is the
title of a great book by Susan Jeffers which I just
picked up again recently.
Fear is a common theme for the clients I work with: fear of flying, various phobias, fear of public speaking, fear of failure in an exam, fear of change, and so on. What is it about fear that makes it so powerful and sometimes so overwhelming?
If we look at some of the core principles of evolutionary psychology, therein lie the answers.
1) All behaviour serves a purpose. On an evolutionary level, everything we do links to the survival of the species. The brain exists to support this process using what Freud described as ‘the pleasure principle’. It serves to move us away from pain or harm and move us towards pleasure. The unconscious mind processes all our experiences at this level. However the unconscious filters information according to our past experiences, both good and bad.
2) Human beings are hard wired for fear. The emotional brain or the limbic system acts like a domestic burglar alarm. The sensors switch on and off according to what is perceived in the environment, and the alarm goes off when it perceives a substantial threat. Just like with a burglar alarm, you can turn the sensors up and down and our past experiences affect our sensitivity to certain stimuli.
3) Fear is important from an evolutionary point of view. It alerts us to a threat which prompts a response. When we were hunter/gatherers, the threats were usually physical, e.g. from an enemy trying to kill us or a fierce animal trying to eat us. This alert system activated what is called the fight/ flight response to prompt us to attack or flee. It sets off automatically, out of conscious awareness because if we thought too much when there was an immediate physical threat, we could be dead. This same system operates in our fear responses today.
The problem with fear in modern society is that it can come from many different sources not just physical. Fear of losing your job, fear of crime, fear about what might happen to loved ones, health scares, fear of getting old; the list is endless. Fear fills up our newspapers and television screens every day.
These same fears can trigger the same fight/flight response which results in chemical and physical changes in the body. We can feel hot and sweaty, breathing speeds up, the heart pumps, adrenaline is released. All these responses can be triggered by a low or a high level threat. This response was originally intended to be short lived, and then the body would resume a normal level of functioning again. Fear in modern society can be more persistent, however, and we can find ourselves in a more continuous state of alert if we don’t do something about it. This can have a dramatic impact on the body and mind’s ability to function, and that is why stress causes so many problems.
The truth is that if you ever want to grow, learn and develop in your life, you will need to work through your fear. If you think about it, I’m sure you can remember times when you did this. Learning to drive was one of the most frightening things I ever learnt. Yet I persevered and if I didn’t drive now I would not enjoy the freedom to go where I want when I want. Can you think of occasions when you have overcome your fears and gained as a result?
So what can you do about fear? This is a simple starter for ten.
Write down what you are frightened of. This puts distance between you and the issue and engages the problem solving part of the brain
* Sort these things out into what you can and can’t control
* Now let go of what you can’t control. If you find this difficult, recognise that you are making a choice. Seek help if you need to.
* Focus on what you can control and begin to develop an action plan to do something about these. Do something different!
These simple activities can begin to move you from a position of powerlessness, paralysis and inaction to empowerment, resourcefulness and a sense of adventure and learning. So, as Susan Jeffers says: feel the fear and do it anyway . . . the choice is yours.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain
Fear is a common theme for the clients I work with: fear of flying, various phobias, fear of public speaking, fear of failure in an exam, fear of change, and so on. What is it about fear that makes it so powerful and sometimes so overwhelming?
If we look at some of the core principles of evolutionary psychology, therein lie the answers.
1) All behaviour serves a purpose. On an evolutionary level, everything we do links to the survival of the species. The brain exists to support this process using what Freud described as ‘the pleasure principle’. It serves to move us away from pain or harm and move us towards pleasure. The unconscious mind processes all our experiences at this level. However the unconscious filters information according to our past experiences, both good and bad.
2) Human beings are hard wired for fear. The emotional brain or the limbic system acts like a domestic burglar alarm. The sensors switch on and off according to what is perceived in the environment, and the alarm goes off when it perceives a substantial threat. Just like with a burglar alarm, you can turn the sensors up and down and our past experiences affect our sensitivity to certain stimuli.
3) Fear is important from an evolutionary point of view. It alerts us to a threat which prompts a response. When we were hunter/gatherers, the threats were usually physical, e.g. from an enemy trying to kill us or a fierce animal trying to eat us. This alert system activated what is called the fight/ flight response to prompt us to attack or flee. It sets off automatically, out of conscious awareness because if we thought too much when there was an immediate physical threat, we could be dead. This same system operates in our fear responses today.
The problem with fear in modern society is that it can come from many different sources not just physical. Fear of losing your job, fear of crime, fear about what might happen to loved ones, health scares, fear of getting old; the list is endless. Fear fills up our newspapers and television screens every day.
These same fears can trigger the same fight/flight response which results in chemical and physical changes in the body. We can feel hot and sweaty, breathing speeds up, the heart pumps, adrenaline is released. All these responses can be triggered by a low or a high level threat. This response was originally intended to be short lived, and then the body would resume a normal level of functioning again. Fear in modern society can be more persistent, however, and we can find ourselves in a more continuous state of alert if we don’t do something about it. This can have a dramatic impact on the body and mind’s ability to function, and that is why stress causes so many problems.
The truth is that if you ever want to grow, learn and develop in your life, you will need to work through your fear. If you think about it, I’m sure you can remember times when you did this. Learning to drive was one of the most frightening things I ever learnt. Yet I persevered and if I didn’t drive now I would not enjoy the freedom to go where I want when I want. Can you think of occasions when you have overcome your fears and gained as a result?
So what can you do about fear? This is a simple starter for ten.
Write down what you are frightened of. This puts distance between you and the issue and engages the problem solving part of the brain
* Sort these things out into what you can and can’t control
* Now let go of what you can’t control. If you find this difficult, recognise that you are making a choice. Seek help if you need to.
* Focus on what you can control and begin to develop an action plan to do something about these. Do something different!
These simple activities can begin to move you from a position of powerlessness, paralysis and inaction to empowerment, resourcefulness and a sense of adventure and learning. So, as Susan Jeffers says: feel the fear and do it anyway . . . the choice is yours.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain