Every person is afraid of something; fears often guide people through life without them realizing it. Some people are fearful of being vulnerable, so they never open up to others. Some people are scared of being let down, so they do everything on their own. Some people are afraid of what others will think of them, so they never show their talents or voice their real thoughts. In this way, fears are an essential force that shapes many people’s lives. People see images of bravery everywhere in the media and admire this quality in others. However, when it comes to taking risks, most people are hesitant, and it prevents them from succeeding in life. While it is comfortable to avoid your fears and stay in a safe haven forever, being brave enough to confront one’s fears and take risks is crucial to reaching any goal and becoming happy.
All people have fears that impact their lives in one way or another. The fact that fears are natural, and everyone has them does not mean that people should cling to them and follow these restrictions. At the same time, it does not mean that people should deny their fears and act as if they do not have them at all. Significant fears that concern people’s relationships or self-perceptions often indicate our critical weaknesses. A person might feel that their communication skills are weak and thus be scared of starting a conversation with an unfamiliar person. In contrast, another person might fear that others will think them too chatty or superficial, and so they avoid sharing their thoughts with others, living by their fear of other people’s judgments. By refusing to accept these fears and simply ignore them, both people will miss a valuable opportunity for learning, development, and reflection.
So, if clinging to fears is wrong and ignoring them does not work either, what should people do about their fears? The only correct response to fears is facing them and overcoming them. By doing this, people obtain multiple opportunities and learn more about themselves and their abilities. Although life should not be just about conquering one’s fears, identifying limiting thoughts and beliefs and overcoming them as needed is the ultimate recipe for growth and success.
The first reason as to why it is essential to face one’s fears is that real success is impossible without taking risks. Looking at the examples of many famous and successful people, it is evident that they had to overcome their fears in order to come this far. For instance, famous writers and artists had to fight anxiety before allowing the world to see their works. Famous actors had to go through their fear of rejection and complete as many auditions as necessary to receive the part that would make them popular. Businesspersons often had to take loans to open a small business that would grow into a multi-billion corporation over the years. It is impossible to deny that all of these people were afraid when they first started doing what they loved. Overcoming these fears and taking appropriate risks was crucial for them to earn fame, money, and success – things that many people want in life.
The second motivation for overcoming fears is personal growth. Facing fears and addressing them as needed makes people stronger and helps them to become better versions of themselves. For example, I had an intense fear of public speaking for as long as I can remember. I could communicate successfully when in a small group of people, but delivering presentations or simply answering in front of the group made me anxious. I would avoid these tasks as much as possible throughout my life, which affected my grades in school and my relationships with peers. Many people did not understand where this fear came from and tried to help me by offering their advice, but it never worked. Over time, I got frustrated with the effect that this fear had on my grades and decided to confront it. As I thought more and more about it, I found that I was not afraid of the act of public speaking; instead, I was scared of what people might think of me. In order to overcome this fear, I started to be more attentive to my own needs and thoughts. At times, I would do precisely the opposite of what others wanted me to do. Soon, I realized that, even if people think wrong of me, it does not affect me personally, and that my friends will always be by my side even if I do something embarrassing. After this realization, I was no longer afraid of public speaking. Not only have I conquered this fear, but I also improved my relationships with others and my understanding of self. This helped me to become more successful as a student and, in time, made my life much happier.
It is natural to have fears, and it is natural to want to cling to them or run away from them. However, doing so limits people’s use of the opportunities that life offers to them. It may be uncomfortable and frightening to face your fears and take risks, but it is essential to success. Overcoming fears can help one to achieve their goals or to become a better version of themselves and, most of the time, the process turns out to be easier and less scary than it seems at first glance. Hence, people should not forget that bravery is not only admirable but also incredibly helpful, and it can be used to achieve any goal that a person sets for themselves.