Never Run From Fire or Fear

The other day I was reading about the U.S. Marines and how they train to do something that's totally counter-intuitive. All the best trained armed forces around the world do it too. They're habituated not to run, but to stand their ground and shoot back at the source of fire when they're being fired upon. If they simply scuttle away, which of course, is what every "normal" person would do, the odds of their getting killed goes up significantly.

In a similar vein, when we are faced with creative challenges or relational challenges, whenever we're confronted with whatever it is that we find is new and threatening, our natural inclination is to say, "I've gotta get the hell outta here." The other tendency most of us have is to wait for a time when our fear completely diminishes. But waiting until you're not afraid usually means you'll be waiting forever. As a result, that thing that you've always wanted to do will never get done.

I've found that developing a mindset that allows me to do something even though I'm afraid, is the best way to become inured to my sense of fear. Obviously I haven't lost my sense of fear entirely, but with time I've come to a place where I'm often thinking: "Yeah, I'm afraid. I get that, but guess what, I'm going to do it anyway."

As I set out on my day today there are a couple things I'm going to do that will probably engender fear in me, so I'm girding my loins as they say, for that internal battle that will no doubt ensue. But one thing I've learned through painful trial and error, is that there is little to be gained from constantly running from my own fears.

On the other hand, there is beauty, there is possibility and the sweet taste of achievement when I stand and face the source of fire.