Ever the fearless, but never the fearful
fares the better in a fight;
‘tis better to be glad than in gloomy mood
whether all is fair or foul.

This is a quote that I remember daily. It seems that ever since I’ve read it, it sticks in my mind. It’s made me realize just how much fear we deal with on a daily basis, and no, not just the life or death kind.

Fear is what causes anxiety and stress, and I perform much better without either of those things. So now, when I find myself not wanting to do something, I analyze it. Usually, I find that I don’t want to do it because I fear something. Be it fear of failure, or fear of reprisal, or fear of what my peers think.

When I stop for a second, and realize that fear is all that stops me, I can suddenly overcome it. Why should I fear failure, when I failed to even try? Or fear a reprisal that I can stop? Or fear a judgment that I really could give less than two shits worth about? I used to try an approach where I would pretend I didn’t care what happened, but I was kidding myself and I knew it. This new approach fits perfectly. It’s not that I don’t care, its that I don’t fear the outcome. The new path presents itself, and I must decide which new route to take. When there is no fear in the equation, suddenly that choice becomes plain as day.

“What is to be, let it be done.” as Amon Amarth would say.