|
by Chris Green
You have an enemy. It is a cruel enemy, full of cunning and
without a care for you or your ambitions. It
is relentless and it
will never stop wreaking havoc with you by spoiling your dreams
and plans for a better, happier life. It has one purpose:
security. You can’t see it. You can’t touch it. But you will
feel the pain it causes unless you know how to fight it.
The name of this destructive, invisible enemy? Fear.
Let me make a guess about you. Throughout your life, you’ve
had many fantastic opportunities come your way. Each time an
opportunity was presented, somehow, some way, you missed out. And
if you’re like me, the frustration was compounded when others
seized the moment and made the most out of an opportunity you
rejected.
Here’s another problem: as the years go by, you look back on
these occasions with regret. You think about chances missed, about
a path never chosen that could’ve lead to a garden of happiness
and fulfilment. A different life, a life you dreamt of, a life you
dearly wish that you had lived. But alas, you chose a different
path, a path chosen by the many. A secure path bereft of
excitement and adventure, but also bereft of risk and danger.
The secure life. A life where you know where you are and what
tomorrow brings. This is the path chosen by the majority of people
and of course, when you choose to follow the majority, you get
what the majority get: a secure, but risk free life, where
happiness levels are minimal and excitement and fulfilment are
virtually non-existent.
Security. Safety. Conformity.
So, why didn’t you take the path filled with risk, adventure
and excitement? What stopped you from choosing a different course
in life, a life – if you’ll be totally honest with me – that
in your heart of hearts you really wished you were living right
now?
It’s all to do with your invisible enemy fear. Fear is like a
computer virus. Once fear has invaded your mind, it will spread
its destructive influence throughout all areas of your life. Your
imagination in particular, is susceptible to its force.
Imagination is one of your most powerful forces and it can either
spur you on to great things or it can corrupt each and every
opportunity that comes your way by giving vent to your fears.
Let me give an example. You’ve been given an opportunity to
do the job you’ve always wanted. However, you’ll need to
relocate to another area on the other side of the country. It’s
a big chance, you’ll earn a very good salary, you’ll do
something you enjoy and you’ll grow and develop far more than
you could in your present role.
Sounds good doesn’t it? But fear will rear up like an angry
cobra. You’re trying to make a change and it is determined to
stop you. It will begin a series of negative appraisals: you might
not like the new area; the job is difficult and might place too
much of a demand on you; the family might not want to move – on
and on and on. Sleepless nights. Sweats. Shakes. Suddenly, the
move doesn’t sound THAT good. After all, things aren’t too bad
now, are they? Why change?
It’s relentless, tormenting and cruel. Fear is persuading you
to choose the safe secure path. It’s setting limits on your
happiness by robbing a wonderful opportunity from you. Each time
it succeeds, a chance to grow and experience more from life
vanishes.
It is so important to recognize how fear does this to you. If
you don’t, you risk looking back down the safe path from the
flat fields of security, full of regret about the life you truly
wanted but your invisible enemy robbed from you. And it is an
enemy that will feel no remorse about it whatsoever.
Until next time.
|
