I’ve started reading Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. It’s tough, but a fantastic read. Challenging as hell.
One truth I’ve known for a long time that’s been brought to mind repeatedly by David’s book is the need to face your fears and uncertainties head on. Facing your fears and uncertainties head-on, unflinchingly, is how you gain mastery over them.
It’s one thing to know that you have to face your fears to master them. It’s quite another to actually do it.
The Disease of Complacency
An unwillingness to face your fears or uncertainties is a self-imposed limitation on your capabilities and effectiveness. Failing to face your fears and uncertainties head-on feels like self-preservation in the moment, but in reality it mutes your effectiveness and simply pushes necessary unpleasantness further down the road.
I’m not advocating going off half-cocked. Being thoughtful and deliberate is important. But when facing a difficult situation, once you’ve paused and thought, you need to act. You need to go ahead and grab that bull by the horns. Letting fear get the best of you hamstring’s your effectiveness. Get on with it then.
My Personal Demons
Fear of confrontation is my primary personal achilles heel. I can name at least two specific things in my life that I need to address, but I let fear of confrontation keep me from addressing them.
I loathe confrontation.
Sometimes I try to play it off as a virtue–I’m just a kind person who would rather play the martyr than cause someone else to be uncomfortable. If someone has to be uncomfortable, let it be me.
But that’s not true. I’m no martyr. I’m just scared. I know I should stand and deliver, but I don’t.
I didn’t know it before I started Can’t Hurt Me, but this is the demon I want to slay in the coming the weeks–or at least do battle with. I’m not sure it’s a demon than can ever be fully slayed, but I’ve let it have it’s way too long.
Featured image by Frank Busch on Unsplash