One of my favourite TED Talks is by Chris Hadfield, who is arguably Canada’s best-known Astronaut. He’s been to space several times and spent six months commanding the International Space Station. During his time in space, he shared his experience with Canada and the world as it was happening.
I watched this TED Talk again last week, as I wanted to remember what it means to do what scares you. I don’t do anything nearly as scary has an Astronaut will face. However, I do face fears almost daily. All of us faces our own fears as it’s just a part of being human. So what are fears anyways?
For most of us our fears are the things that hold us back. I know I’m facing a fear when I’m sitting wanting something, and I find myself aware that I’m not actually moving towards it for some reason. What I’ve learned about fear is that by choosing to move through it there is almost always something beautiful waiting on the other side.
Given I’m talking about fear, by now you’re probably wondering what is the fear I’m sitting with today. A few weeks ago the fear I moved throguh was to start a podcast. Today, it’s the idea of having a discussion with 1,000 different people in the next 365 days. This simple podcast is becoming a research project, and some of these discussions I will have are going to end up on the podcast.
Seriously? Is this even possible? Where am I going to find 1,000 people? Are they even going to want to talk to me? Am I going to be annoying to people? Will I fail to meet this lofty objective?
Who cares … off I go!
Thought of the week
Towards the end of his TED Talk Hadfield says “If you find a way to conquer your fear, you see a beauty that never would have happened.”
That one statement says it all for me. I have moved through my fear of being a podcast host and completed 10 podcast recordings to date. I am seeing a beautiful part of humanity by simply having a conversation with people at a level I have not often experienced before. So I’m going to take this to a whole new level, and go after the goal of 1,000 conversations.
What is it you both want and fear at the same time? In Hadfield’s talk he suggests if you’re afraid of spiders, then go into the forest and keep walking through spider webs until you’re over your fear. So what spider web do you need to walk through today?
The only thing you know with certainty is you have today. So why not step through your fears and go after what you really want?
A fear I have is failing to do well in any acitivity or presentation that I do in front of other folks. This fear feeds on itself which causes me not to prepare and then I put myself into shame. It’s easier to blame myself then face this fear. When I am in shame I go numb and stop being responsible for my actions. This post reminds me that fear can be a very good thing as it reminds me that I am at my edge. It will help me to not be numb and It reminds me to fully feel that fear so that I can act from a place of choice and living. I will control this fear and it control me.
Thanks Mike.
P.S. climb that mountain … I can’t wait to hear what happens with you next.
Thanks Joanne … and yes it’s going to be exciting to see what comes next … whatever it is! Fear can definitely be a good thing so step towards it, experience it, and just watch what happens for you! I too can hardly wait too see what happens for you!
I don’t know how I came to following you but I must have found something inspiring in your journey well before this huge step you are about to take. Best of luck to you and I would certainly be interested in being one of your 1000 conversations.
Thanks Karen… I’ll email you to get you on the list!