How fear can be described

 

Fear can be described as “a future expectation of being worse off than you are now.”

We all suffer from fear at one point or another. Only through regular, candid introspection, whereby you ask yourself direct questions and demand direct and honest replies, can negative influence be diminished or eradicated.

As you read through this description of the six basic fears, remember that to be truly rich, the actions you take each day—how you think, with whom you associate, and what you do—must correspond with the type of life you want. Like poverty consciousness, fear must be mastered, or it will master you.

1. Fear of poverty

Both wealth and poverty are the offspring of thought. Fear of poverty crushes ambition, stymies imagination, feeds negativity, breeds cynicism, invites conflict, promotes selfishness, and encourages quitting, leading to hatred, poverty, illness, and misery—in other words, permanent defeat.

Decide what you want in your life, always remembering that the poverty mindset will slowly creep into any mind not preoccupied with success.

There are six major symptoms of the fear of poverty. First is indifference, which stems from a lack of ambition, from accepting whatever circumstances arise, and from laziness. Those indifferent to their own success fall in with the wrong crowd and are continually misled. As a result, indifferent people develop the habit of taking unhelpful actions.

Second is indecision, leading to inaction, which ensures your life passes without making any meaningful contribution, personally or professionally.

The third is doubt, where people find themselves stagnant and low on confidence, using alibis and excuses to justify why they cannot do something. Doubt, like indecision, leads to inaction. Fourth is undue stress and worry, which lead to erratic behavior and inaction and are a major cause of numerous health issues.

Fifth is overcaution. People who are too overcautious stay in their comfort zone and refuse to appreciate the growth, confidence, and opportunity that come from stepping into challenging situations.

Again, this leads to wrong actions or inaction. And finally, procrastination. Chronic procrastinators put off until tomorrow what they could easily do today, placing blame and responsibility on their increasingly burdened but ineffective future self. Having nothing to show for an entire day, time and time again saps your spirit and traps you in a cycle of inaction.

One of the key strategies to inoculate your mind from the fear of poverty is to fill it with your goals and dreams of greatness. Before he became a household name, film star Jim Carrey would often sit in the Hollywood Hills and look out over the city, visualizing how one-day renowned directors and other people he respected would praise him for his work. In 1992, he went one step further, writing himself a $10 million check for “acting services rendered.”

Dating it three years in the future, Carrey kept the check-in his wallet where it would stare back at him numerous times each day, while he worked tirelessly to bring his goal to life.

Almost three years later, the entertainer was given a film role that paid him $10 million. Carrey neutralized his fears by constantly focusing on what he wanted most and in doing so made his dream a reality.

2. Fear of criticism

One thing the world will never be short of is criticism. Every successful person has opened themselves up to the scorn of others, which if not properly understood and vanquished can destroy one’s ambitions and progress.

Sometimes, the worst criticism can be dished out by family, friends, and other loved ones who might have your best interests at heart but are constrained by their own fears and limitations.

We are all born with a willingness to experience sensations and try as many things as we can, pursuing fun and new challenges with little regard for the consequences or what other people might think.

But as we grow up, social conditioning—coupled with improper reprimands from parents, teachers, and bosses—can lead to a growing fear of criticism, which, unlike constructive suggestion, brings out the worst in people. The outcome of worrying about what other people think is that much less is attempted.

Because it is our failures that in almost all cases ultimately define our success, attempting very little means little progress is made.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos understands this better than most, leading by example when it comes to failure: “I’ve made billions of failures at Amazon.

Literally,” he says. In a letter to shareholders, Bezos wrote, “I believe we are the best place in the world to fail (we have plenty of practice!).” But he is acutely aware that every failure increases his chances of hitting a home run, as Amazon has done with numerous innovations that catapulted the company from being a simple online bookstore to being the largest internet retailer on the planet.

Only you have the situational awareness around what your deepest desires are and what you are prepared to do to attain them. For consistent progress, stay true to yourself and do not worry about what other people think.

3. Fear of ill health

Billions have been made by companies using deceptive marketing to profit from people’s fear of ill health. Whether it be juice cleanses, vitamins, superfoods, gadgets, or the latest fitness craze— whatever the “next big thing” may be—there is no shortage of people lining up to offer their assistance to you.

These companies generally spend more on marketing than research and development and know exactly what advertisements will trigger an emotional response in your brain. They are then on hand with a readily available solution for the problem they have identified.

The human body is a most capable, adaptive, and fascinating organism. Numerous studies have shown that given a balanced diet of whole foods, regular mental stimulation, enough sleep, and varied functional training at relative intensity, it operates at its peak. This simple formula can be used to treat almost anything, from depression and anxiety to major life-threatening diseases; yet, like the timeless

principles of success, most people are more interested in something new and exciting that invokes a strong emotional response rather than a proven formula from thousands of years ago that just needs to be applied willingly, passionately, and consistently.

Modern medicine has also proven just how powerful a positive mind can be, whether consciously applied or not. Doctors, dentists, and surgeons are increasingly using the power of the mind to put patients suffering from a wide range of conditions into a hypnotic state in which they are better able to cope with pain or eliminate bad habits. Even the success of the “placebo effect,” in which patients improve significantly when taking medication that has no active ingredient, has resulted in open-label placebos being trialed for a wide range of ailments.

With what we know about the power of the mind, consistently framing one’s own health, vitality, and longevity in the positive are imperative for long-term success.

4. Fear of loss of love

The fear of loss of love can be seen either in jealousy of an existing partner, whether a spouse, business partner or friend, without any reasonable grounds; or in using the memory of a failed or ended relationship to prevent you from finding love and happiness in a new one.

Too many people allow the scars of lost love to accompany them forever, denying themselves the prospect of future happiness in the companionship of another person.

Jealousy, when allowed to fester, can quickly turn to malice and be the downfall of any relationship. As the situation begins to worsen, both parties can find themselves trapped in a negative mindset that creates an extremely destructive environment.

Sometimes people attempt to buy love and loyalty with expensive gifts, but no relationship can expect to survive long term if it is built on a foundation of material possessions in place of honest and transparent communication.

As a young adult, Ellen DeGeneres was in a committed relationship. One day, for the long-term health of the relationship, they decided to take a temporary break from living together. Not long after, DeGeneres discovered they would never reunite—her 23-year-old partner had been killed in a car accident.

Overcome with grief, the aspiring comedian channeled her pain and frustration into her creative endeavors, writing a stand-up script that she hoped might one day find its way to acclaimed television star Johnny Carson.

Several years later, DeGeneres was invited to appear on Carson’s Tonight Show for her first-ever appearance on network television, catapulting her career to a new level.

Had she filled her heart with anger, DeGeneres could have allowed her tragic loss to define her. Instead, she developed her gifts and became one of the great philanthropists and humorists of our time.

Using the pain and grief as learning experiences and practicing gratitude for all she had, DeGeneres found love again, marrying her partner Portia de Rossi in 2009.

Today, she continues to smile through every hardship and appreciate each day for whatever it may bring.

5. Fear of old age

Fear of old age can be seen when people begin to renounce their abilities as age increases. You have probably heard someone, whether a parent, grandparent or even yourself, blame their age for not participating in some activity.

Knowing what we know about the power of the mind, welcoming a new milestone—such as retiring from a sport, selling a business, or celebrating a birthday—might be better viewed as an opportunity to seek new challenges or grander goals.

Those who feel increasingly despondent as they age use it to justify staying within their ever-shrinking comfort zone, but countless studies have proven that keeping the mind and body active considerably increases longevity.

For example, Johanna Quaas is a regular competitor on the amateur gymnastics circuit in Germany. The 92-year-old continues to dazzle spectators with her strength, dexterity, and mobility, performing somersaults, headstands, and cartwheels at will. Regarding the connection between body and mind, Quaas believes, “If you are fit, it is easier to master life.”

Similarly, after the sudden death of his wife, Englishman Thomas Lackey decided to walk along the wing of an airplane to raise money for cancer charities. Full of vigor after his first effort, Lackey continued his wing-walking career well into his nineties, breaking numerous world records and raising $2 million for charity.

Another inspiring example is Frenchwoman Jeanne Louise Calment, the longest living human on record, who passed away at the age of 122. One of Calment’s greatest passions was cycling, which she continued to enjoy even at 100 years young.

Quaas, Lackey, and Calment did not listen when people told them they couldn’t do something. Rather, they viewed their age, wisdom, and experience as a blessing, warding off fear with prompt and firm action. Those who repeatedly tell themselves they’re “too old” are the ones who actually are.

6. Fear of death

As we get older, we increasingly see reminders of our own mortality. Death continually ranks at the top, or near the top, of what humans fear most; after all, regardless of what spin you put on it, your own death is inevitable.

Some channel this fate as inspiration to create a legacy and impact the world, while others retreat into their shells, refusing to discuss it openly and failing to prepare accordingly. Yet, while ignoring death will not postpone its arrival, living life to the fullest might.

Fear of death can lead to mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety, but if you reflect logically on this mindset, the fear seems baseless. After all, how can we fear something when we have absolutely no idea what awaits us?

In contrast, the Stoics regularly engaged in a reflection exercise known as Memento Mori (or “Remember that you have to die”), a constant reminder that one day our physical beings will perish, along with everyone else we know.

In his private journal, Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote, “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do, say, and think.” Not only did this keep his ego in check—just as important for an emperor as a civilian—but it also allowed him to fill his mind only with what he wanted to accomplish, shunning any negative influence that threatened to enter.

Accept death as an inescapable event and get to work on making each day your masterpiece.

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Remember, all thoughts—good or bad—tend to cloak themselves in their physical equivalent. Fears are a state of mind conditioned into us.

By recalibrating our minds, we can start to focus on what we truly desire and begin a life of extraordinary achievement and fulfillment. If we choose to waive our right to take ownership of our lives, we must be willing to accept whatever fate has in store for us.

The things we fear to fall into two categories: what we can control and what we cannot control.

Developing the ability to tell them apart is a valuable skill, as American theologian and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Reinhold Niebuhr noted in the Serenity Prayer:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference."

Those who are well advanced on the path to self-mastery, like Warren Buffett, look at what others fear and use their calm, focused minds to identify opportunities to achieve their goals faster. Everyone has the same number of hours in a day; it is what we do with the time that counts.

True visionaries, such as Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, Sara Blakely, and Jeff Bezos, stay true to their desires, refusing to yield until they have achieved and then far surpassed their original goals.

This is the dedication, focus, and passion required for extraordinary achievement. All progress exists outside your comfort zone, and it is important to frequently embrace challenges that are opportunities to move toward success, rather than giving in to fear or being influenced by distraction, procrastination, or short-term gratification.

To retain a positive mind, regard each day as a new blessing and a unique opportunity to inch toward your goals.

Continually check your actions and decisions to see what tweaks and changes you can make to turbocharge the attainment of whatever it is you desire.

It might be something as simple as switching your phone to airplane mode more often to avoid distraction, deleting a time-wasting app, or changing your settings to disable intruding notifications; or it may be something more difficult, such as leaving a toxic relationship or fronting up to public speaking classes.

Champion athletes know you can think your mind into victory, just as they recogniseq that an unfocused mind is beaten before the starting blocks.

We are all susceptible to fears throughout our lives. Only through the consistent, purposeful application of proven success principles can we make meaningful and sustainable change.

Build your confidence with each small win, because the stronger you have forged the habit, the better it is protected.

As you replace bad habits with good ones, frequently calibrate your effectiveness through unflinchingly honest self-examination, and keep your commitment to your purpose strong.

At any given time, the major military conflicts, financial crises, and other significant problems of world history appear unique, but they are not.

Rather, they are an echo of what has occurred before—a cycle that fuels the negative sentiments of those people who are complicit in fear-mongering and who allow themselves to be condemned by forces outside their control.

Yet, those who ignore the fear—choosing instead to focus on their own abilities and the resources they can procure and to build a product or service that could solve a problem or strike a chord with a key demographic—quietly transcend their circumstances.

When the right opportunity arises, they flourish. This has been proven time and time again throughout history.

Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs could have dwelled on the dotcom crash, but instead, he focused on what he could control.

After just one year of development, under Jobs’s leadership, Apple released the first-generation iPod, which become an instant phenomenon and paved the way for the iPhone to sell more than one billion units.

Whether it’s the Long Depression in the late 1800s, the Panic of 1893, the First World War, the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Vietnam War, the 1970s energy crisis, Black Monday in 1987, the savings and loan crisis, the dotcom crash, the War on Terror, or the subprime mortgage crisis, there will always be events happening around the world that are outside of your control. Instead, focus on what you can control.

In The Art of War, renowned military commander Sun Tzu wrote: “Know your enemy and know yourself and you will never be in peril.”

Despite being written two-and-a-half thousand years ago, this thought continues to be used by sporting teams and corporations alike as a key strategy for victory.

Compare that quote with the one at the start of this chapter. Napoleon Hill knew that to outwit everything that might seek to knock him off course, it was essential to define his “enemies” in the clearest possible terms and to set up indicators to spot their presence and vanquish their influence early.

Mastering the skills of self-discipline and habit take time because we are fighting the human nature that leaves us susceptible to fear.

To give yourself the best chance of success, ask yourself definite questions and demand direct replies.

Think about your biggest worry and ask yourself why you tolerate it.

Focusing on the good is not enough; you must frequently seek all things that can reduce your plans to ash and rid your environment of them as soon as possible.

Eliminating the six basic fears is essential to converting the achievement philosophy from theory to victory. Success-conscious people will achieve, regardless of what is happening around them.

Remember, as the great Napoleon Hill said,

"Your only limitation is the one that you set up in your own mind."

Protect yourself against fear and any negative influence at all costs—your very life depends on it.