Fear is necessary. Fear is the gateway to wisdom and ultimately to freedom. It’s the internal check that directs attention and focus like a rudder guides the course of a ship. This is why understanding fear and how to process fear in a healthy way is so critical to living life fully and making wise decisions.

At best, Fear encourages us to do our research and understand the possible outcomes. This translates to wisdom as every stone gets unturned and understanding is gained about what parts of a decision most influence the outcome. As these pressure points or key behaviors/factors are identified, they provide a roadmap to success in that endeavor.

For example, take the process of buying a car. The fear revolves around making the best decision and/or spending money wisely; “I don’t want to waste my money” or “I don’t want to buy the wrong car.” The underlying implication with both of these fears is that there is a very real possibility that either could happen. So, the best thing to do is identify the parameters around the decision to reduce the fear. Find the conditions that are necessary for success and the conditions that will cause certain failure. This gives a guide for evaluation of options and an idea of what conditions to look for, good or bad. Returning to the car example, we must begin by identifying what purpose the car will serve and the intended use. This provides guidance regarding what type of vehicle to consider (e.g. Van or sedan). Then the evaluation moves a step further on to the priorities of the vehicles features; miles per gallon, seats, color, etc… This gives you clarity on which vehicle will cover the majority of needs or the most important needs. The research process clarifies the needs based on the options.

This is describing the healthy expression of fear: Healthy fear translates to wisdom through proactive research and/or understanding of context.

Unhealthy fear is manifest in raging outbursts (directed externally or internally), impulse decision making, and attempts to control. Unhealthy fear creates panic and uncertainty while clouding reality and making it difficult to see anything but the fear right before us. This kind of fear induces paralysis and inhibits our creative problem solving skills. Unhealthy fear is also highly contagious and requires a strong conviction to get free from the panic.

Embrace the fear before you… Examine it, explore it, seek to understand what makes it. This is the beginning of the beginning of wisdom.

-joe