“Fear. Fear’s a powerful thing. I mean it’s got a lot of firepower. If you can figure out a way to wrestle that fear to push you from behind rather than to stand in front of you, that’s very powerful.” – Jimmy Iovine (as sampled in ‘All in a Day’s Work’ by Dr. Dre)
Fear is a natural emotional response to the perception or recognition of a danger. The feeling of fear can invoke a fight, flight or freeze response. In humans and other animals, fear is modulated by the process of cognition and learning. Thus, fear is judged as rational or appropriate and irrational or inappropriate.
Sociological and organizational research also suggests that individuals’ fears are not solely dependent on their nature but are also shaped by their social relations and culture, which guide their understanding of when and how much fear to feel.
In the professional setting, fear and anxiety are common emotions felt throughout the career cycle. Fears can be managed but never eliminated.
A few questions to ask ourselves over breakfast:
- What are some of the things you fear in your professional life?
- Are these fears rational or irrational?
- What mechanisms do you have in place to manifest positive reactions to feeling afraid?
- Is there anything you do to avoid being put in situations which invoke fear?
- Do you do anything which may cause others to fear you or your actions?
Early Birds > Late Worms 