#WarAgainstFear (Part 1)


I recently read an Indian fable that goes thus:

A mouse was constantly in fear of a cat. So, one day, a magician changed the mouse into a cat. But then the cat was afraid of a dog. So, the magician changed the cat into a dog. But the dog was afraid of a tiger. So, the magician changed the dog into a tiger. But then the tiger was afraid of a hunter. Finally, in exasperation, the magician said, "Be a mouse again, you have only the heart of a mouse and I cannot help you."

Many people are like that mouse whose focus in always on its fears and threats but wouldn’t give a thought to the vast opportunities that lay before it. So, they never get comfortable in their own skin, can’t wait to switch jobs or business line, can’t wait to marry someone else, and can’t wait to become someone else.

Too much focus on fear disempowers people, making them incapable of transforming themselves and their situations.

The second part of the year 2019 is here and it is a good time to examine the fears that might be limiting you from advancement. This might just be your best step ever to breakthrough. Consider this list of fears:

Algophobia – fear of pain: the path to growth is always laced with pain. Your fear of pain might be limiting you from growing.

Atelophobia - fear of imperfection: with perfectionist tendencies come the fear of imperfection. Excess self-criticism not only bring along anxiety and stress disorders, but it also results in self-doubt and abuse of other people which keeps them away from contributing positively to you.

Atychiphobia - fear of failure: if you fear to fail, you limit your potential to achieve much success because failure lies on the path of success, not outside it.

Bibliophobia - fear of books: the fear of reading books has kept many people away from the knowledge that would have liberated them. Are you one of them?

Catagelophobia - fear of being ridiculed: one line of a popular jingle I hear at local market areas says, “if you don’t want people to laugh at you, they will cry for you.” Success requires great faith and radical steps blended with extraordinary courage. If you don’t follow this path, you will end up needing pity from others.

Gamophobia - fear of marriage: you fear marriage – perhaps, due to the failed marriage of your parents, friends, etc.? It might be difficult to find a perfect match not to talk of settling down and building a home.

Glossophobia - fear of speaking in public: who am I to speak in public? Do I know enough? Is my opinion valid? What if I mess up? You might never get suitable answers to these unending questions and if you keep asking them, you might never make that great public presentation that will attract the attention you need to leverage on for your next promotion or giant leap.

For the sake of brevity, we will pause here to continue next week when we talk about other limiting fears and how to break out of the disempowering orbit that they create.

Welcome to the month of July!

To your success,

Bright UK
The Chief Scribe

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