Paradigm-shifting paradoxes
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Adair
Facing our fears is yet another of life’s paradoxes. This follows on from certain uncertainty, which we explored last week. We need to reassess our need for certainty and comfort, which is hardwired into us as human beings, but does not serve our ability to grow and thrive.
Fear often paralyses us, but if something scares you, you should probably do it. Fears, when avoided, become limiters to our growth and life. Make a habit of getting closer to your fears. Then take the leap (metaphorically!) – you may just find growth on the other side.
Erin Hanson, a 21-year-old Australian poet, captures this beautifully in her well-known poem:
“There is freedom waiting for you, on the breezes of the sky. And you ask, “What if I fall?” Oh, but my darling, “What if you fly?”
The draw of comfort is the biggest dream killer. It is ultimately up to you to choose either to be comfortable or courageous. You cannot be both at once.
In a Personal Growth article entitled Why Discomfort Is The Key to Success In Life and Business, Benny Glick writes:
“Be careful, though. The siren calls of doubt and fear will be there as well. And they will sound eerily similar to your inner voice. They will try to tell you that you are irrational. Be practical they will say. Following your dreams is childish.”
But this is not true. He goes on to say that, “To reach your destination, you must be willing to jump without the security of knowing whether you will make it or not.”
And,
“It is in the spaces of discomfort that your life is formed. In the silence of the everyday.
It takes practice to hear that whisper (of your inner voice). It takes commitment to see the truth. It takes belief to step off that cliff.
But when you do, you will realize you had wings all along.”
Dr Margie Warrell explores Why Embracing Uncertainty Is Critical To Your Success, and herein shares her similar findings. She says:
“It’s a lesson that was reinforced in my interviews with accomplished leaders across a diverse range of fields while researching my second book Stop Playing Safe. While each person had forged their own unique path to success – either up an organizational ladder or as an entrepreneur – the common thread of wisdom they all shared was that in today’s competitive and fast changing workplace, we can never hope to achieve success unless we’re willing to embrace the unknown and get comfortable with the innate discomfort of risk taking.”
The people who achieve extraordinary success in every field of endeavour, “won’t be people who have played it safe and stuck to ‘business as usual’. Rather, they will be people who have continued to stretch themselves, to forge new ground despite the unpredictability it invites, and to risk failure in the process.”
And to quote John F. Kennedy: “Nothing worthwhile has ever been accomplished with a guarantee of success.”
We at WellsFaber encourage you to fly. So face your fears and take that leap – towards everything that is waiting for you on the other side of your fears.