The Power of Fear

Does fear push you to success? Or, does it act more like a roadblock to your dreams? Fear tends to hold a lot of us back for various reasons. One of the most obvious reasons would be the fear of failure. People fear failure or perhaps even more, they fear what others might think of them if they fail: “What if I don’t succeed?,” “What if they don’t like me?,” “What if I’m not what they are looking for?,” “But I have to first accomplish {this} before going for {that}.” As a media industry personality, where anything you say or do can be easily scrutinized, these feelings become amplified.

There are a lot of things and situations I fear. I am afraid of snakes. I have a fear of drowning — but that doesn’t keep me from getting on a boat or swimming in the ocean. I used to fear failure but I’ve learned that failure shouldn’t be feared. Failure is a way of being able to achieve a better version of yourself. As cliché as it may sound, for every time we don’t succeed, there is an important lesson learned. And that opportunity for growth is much more valuable than trying to evade the judgement of a few naysayers. Besides, haters are always going to hate, whether you succeed or you fail.

If fear stops you from going towards something you want in life, you will never know your potential. You won’t experience all the possibilities that could be yours. I’ve been catching myself say, “I want to try” or “I will try” to do this or that. In most scenarios, “I will try,” is ok. For example, “I would like to try that new restaurant” or “I want to try on those new shoes.” But in cases like, “I will try to get that blog written” or “I will try and make it to that new workout class,” the usage of “try” becomes an expression of fear. It is a powerless word. It holds us in purgatory between our status quo and our highest potential – our very best versions of ourselves. What do you fear and why? Make a promise to yourself and say, “I am going to do something today that embraces who I know I can be.” Let the power of fear become the force behind your progress starting right now. Do it scared!

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Hey! I’m Arsiak.

Hi I’m Arsiak Vartenian and I’m the Founder and Host of ‘Smart is the New Sexy’ an uplifting talk show and online platform that highlights the power of dreaming big through storytelling, connection, community, and heart.

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