Knock, Knock

Have you ever felt excited about working on a new project, following up on a dream, or taking a different path or route when suddenly a voice whispers or yells in the ear to your brain that it’s a mistake and you could never accomplish your goal? Most people actually listen to that voice and immediately stop what they are doing and start killing their dreams.

Just this week, a friend reached out to me excited about creating a new business. They have done all the planning and preparation. and the only thing to do is to push the green button for go. However, little annoying voices always jump in to tell you that it wants to protect you from being a failure or making a costly mistake. The voice is powerful enough to convince us that we should be content with our lives the way they are right now. Many of us freeze in our steps towards success, and agree to pause, or place those great ideas on a high shelf out of reach.

This voice has a name and it’s called fear. Year after year I watch some of the most talented people who have the potential to be very successful hide behind the iron curtain of fear because they believe they have no real talent, like the voice convinces us from time to time. Many I have watched grow old, holding hands with fear, facing regrets right to the end of their lives.

Fear starts in the part of the brain called the amygdala. According to Smithsonian…