A Tested Guide to Transcending Your Fears and Finally Live Your Life’s Purpose
What is the first – perhaps the only – difference between living your dream and stagnating?
The fundamental difference is fear. Fear of losing it all; fear of what another might think; fear of being less than enough.
Penetrate your inner world; stop running, turn around and face your fears. We’ve discussed purpose and passion in life (Part One, Part Two); allow me to offer some thoughts on removing the obstacles in our path.
Your Answer to Life is Your Own
There is a most inspiring man; you must have heard of him. Viktor Frankl, a man who survived the Holocaust and found meaning through his ordeals. One of my favourite quotes:
“Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.”
Our purpose is our own; life is asking and we answer. Do we meekly submit and let life, let those around us, decide where we are headed? Do we whisper out a meek maybe in response to life?
Or do we stand tall and hold true to our innermost desires; to live a life of virtue and fulfilment – a life of responsibility?
We are responsible for our own lives. No one is exactly like us; not even an identical twin. Our sources of joy are our own; our purposes are as unique as our fingerprints. Take their counsel, yes, but we cannot let another decide for us.
The Spectre of Fear
Standing between us and our purpose is unhealthy fear, a survival mechanism gone wrong. There will be times it is healthy and normal. But fear has gone rampant when it never leaves us. It becomes an apparition, only visible in brief glimpses, but is always right besides you. No longer does fear take over when needed; now it silently colours our vision, so that we see everything as threatening.
Fear destroys self-reliance, enthusiasm, and initiative. It encourages procrastination, and leads to weak character. It kills love, beclouds memories, and ultimately leads to misery and unhappiness.
And yet take heart, for a lack of courage is nothing more than a state of mind. It can be overcome. Be always on the alert for it. Fear is obvious when someone holds a gun to our head, but it is harder to recognise in our everyday lives. Be wary of indecision and doubt, for they harden into deeply entrenched sense of dread.
Fear, Disguised
I was discussing the ideal job with a friend of mine recently; he is the perfect example of fear disguising itself with clever words and rationalisations. He didn’t believe in the happiness archetype. He called it too idealistic; advice from people who were out to sell books, or did not have the limitations real people in the real world have. His arguments sounded so believable. That is, until we dissected them, for we found the spectre of fear.
Alibis, Not Limitations
When we lay bare our fears, when we examine them with an honest and courageous eye – what we find are not limitations. What we find are alibis. Sometimes these are unconscious. They stem from events, insults, and harsh judgements that we have taken to heart. Without examination, we have allowed them to control our lives.
Each individual has their unique alibis; no one can ever hope to provide a comprehensive list. But here are some of the common ones:
If only, they say. If only I had met the right people; if only I dared to assert myself; if only he never did this, if only I never did that.
So many more ifs!
If only my parents were rich, if only I had a good education, if only I wasn’t held back by my responsibilities, by my family, if only I had a lover who supported me, if only people weren’t so cruel.
If only I wasn’t so old, so young, so ugly, so stupid – and more and more. Barring extreme circumstances, most of these are just alibis.
Finding your Fears
What are your alibis? What are the fears that lie behind them?
This will be hard work and time consuming, but the benefits will be tremendous; a far better way of passing your spare time than on mindless entertainment.
Take a moment to write down your fears. Start with your purpose in life on the top of the sheet, and then let your thoughts flow underneath. Aim for volume. Let your thoughts repeat themselves, and don’t stop until you’ve found each and every one.
The 3 Methods
A personal example might be helpful here:
My current passion is to be a psychologist; probably a counsellor or a therapist. I have made the necessary sacrifices to return to university as a mature age student, but recently I suffered from a lot of doubt. There were many reasons for it, but let’s analyse one.
I have friends who are already working in psychology. One famous story in their circle revolved around a suicidal client. I don’t know the exact details, but the distress he had put on one of my friends was tremendous. He threatened to kill himself and said it would be her fault if he did. And one day he disappeared after leaving many incoherent messages on her phone. She was devastated, thinking he had actually done the unthinkable. Luckily, he hadn’t. He returned to therapy a few weeks later and is making progress.
Her distress affected me tremendously. I know myself to be exceptionally sensitive; my empathy extended beyond knowing what another felt – often times I felt what they felt. What if I met a similar client? Would I take on their suicidal tendencies? My friend lost nights of sleep; my sensitivity would mean my anguish would be many times stronger than hers.
Examination and Realism
This was my alibi, my source of fear. But I had to overcome it if I was to continue along my path. One day I sat down to investigate. Was I really as emotionally weak as I thought I was?
The truth of the matter was: I wasn’t. I am sensitive, but I am not emotionally as weak as I thought. A few isolated incidents, without examination, had simply distorted my self-image.
The exercise was not about distorting my fear in the other direction, pretending I was made of rock. It was about bringing my perceptions as close to reality as I could. I knew that if something similar happened to me, I would be affected, but it will not mean the end of the world. It would be something I could handle.
Further Reading: The process I used, and the results I found, is in The Art of Cognitive Reframing.
Removing Distortions
After investigating the other alibis, I turned my attention to the event. How many suicidal clients would I meet? What were the chances of them behaving that way?
And even if they did – what would that mean? Would it mean I was a failure as a psychologist, or worse, a murderer? Would it be a reflection on me or my worth? Is there any career that did not involve a measure of distress?
Further Reading: The process, and distortions that had caused my fear, were covered in further detail in Fear and Anxiety Cures.
An Emergency Plan
There is an expansion to that post. Much of our fears in the area of purpose revolve around time and money. We can stifle these fears by realistically planning for the worst.
Start out by writing out the absolute worst case scenario. What are you afraid will happen if you made a change? Make your scenario a nightmare: imagine that everything has gone wrong.
Now, what steps can you take if that does happen? What would you do if you were cut off from all sources of income tomorrow? What would you do if all your savings were stolen? What if you suddenly had 20 hours in a day instead of 24?
Please note that this is not a placebo, another lie you tell yourself. This is similar to knowing where your nearest hospital is and planning a route to get there as quickly as you can. It has to be something that you can and will actually do.
Releasing the Emotions
Lastly, I spent a few nights at home, fully exploring and releasing the emotion of fear. I imagined the worst case scenario, and released the fear that I felt around it happening. The Sedona Method
Further Reading: The emotional meditation is described in The Key to Emotional Mastery.
The Need for Action
I remember my boxing years; one quiet young man in particular. He was new to the gym, and my coach asked me to show him the basics. He was excruciatingly scared and awkward; he couldn’t muster the courage to even punch the bags properly. After half an hour of fruitless effort, I got frustrated. “Why do you even want to do boxing?” I exhaled.
“Because I am afraid, and I don’t want to be anymore,” he replied. The answer stunned me into shame, and I felt a sudden burst of deep respect. A coward? No – he had more courage than I had, than many of us have. He was taking action.
The danger of all this internal work is, of course, that many will use it as another alibi. Inner work becomes another obstacle, another reason to remain in a rut instead of taking steps.
Sometimes, the best way to overcome fear is to simply do it.
The 5% Statement
Nathaniel Branden, considered to be the father of the self-esteem movement, gives a brilliant step in his masterful work The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem
If you are stuck in a rut, not being able to take action, the 5% statement will be tremendously helpful. It works in small increments, as the name suggests. I’ve used it in so many ways – to begin exercising again after a long lay-off, to reduce procrastination, and even to improve my relationships.
A 5% statement is split into 2 halves. Examples would be:
If I was to be 5% more responsible today, I would ___________.
If I was to be 5% less lazy today, I would ___________.
Here was one I filled in this morning: If I was 5% more loving today, I would buy my mother dinner and spend time chatting with her over dinner and afterwards.
Pause, and think about your particular alibi, fear, or weakness. What would you need? What would the first half of your statement be?
Next, fill in the statement every morning when you wake up. The action you need to take might change everyday, but regardless of what you do, your life will keep moving in the right direction.
The wisdom in this is obvious, for trying to change completely overnight is almost impossible. It would stir up much inner resistance. 5% increments are plenty, and there will be reduced resistance.
Once momentum begins, sometimes the difficulty comes in stopping!
The Cost and Benefit Analysis
The final technique for galvanising ourselves into action is to list the costs and the benefits of remaining in our current path.
The Costs: Keep a list of this, and carry it around throughout the day. Does it make you unhappy? Does it keep you earning a pay you don’t like? Does it keep you lonely? What would happen in five, ten, or twenty years if you continued down your current path?
Read this list whenever you can. This might keep you stuck in the level of fear, but at least you’re using it in the right way.
The Benefits: What do you get out of not living your purpose? Perhaps your friends and family are giving you emotional support and a lot of attention when you complain of your misery. Perhaps you might need to move to a different city to pursue your passion, and you want to avoid the hassle. Maybe you don’t feel you have the skills to make new friends once you move.
Run the benefits through the entire three step process described above.
Again, these exercises might seem to be a lot of work – but please realise that a hesitance to journal and investigate yourself is the same hesitance that holds you back for your fear. Perhaps completing this work could be the first action in a 5% statement.
What’s next?
In the next post, I have prepared a list of common fears that I have come across, together with ways of detecting them, and additional notes on overcoming them.
But if there are any fears that relate to passion and purpose you would like to discuss, please leave a comment with some details.
The Strangest Secret in the World
To finish off this post, a video talk by Earl Nightingale.
UrbanMonk.Net provides an additional voice in your personal development journey - modern life, entwined with ancient spirituality.
For free updates, please subscribe using RSS or Email.(What does Subscribing / RSS mean?)
40 Comments, Comment or Ping
suicidalsam
as always another insightful post. thanks bro
Mar 5th, 2008
CatherineL
Hi Alfred - Isn’t Earl Nightingale great? I listen to his audio stuff when I’m driving.
Fear, is the one thing that stops so much progress being made isn’t it? For many years, I had low self esteem and avoided doing many things - mostly because of the fear of just not being good enough.
I think it’s wonderful that you’re training to be a psychologist. I was studying psychology - but took a break from it when I went into business.
Looking at your posts, it sounds like you’re really self aware, which goes a long way to helping you understand others doesn’t it?
Re - the possibility of a client committing suicide, it’s important to remember that it just may not have been impossible to prevent that person from taking their own lives. And although it is awful when these things happen - the benefits received by those you are able to help will make it worthwhile.
Mar 5th, 2008
Evan
Thanks for a great post Albert.
I do think it is important to listen to our fear - and then respond. As you say, the point is not to turn ourselves into rocks.
People do commit suicide. Sometimes because we can’t provide what they need. (It is unfortunate that counsellors should ever be put in this situation - and yet they are. This says much about how we organise ourselves, none of it good.) This is part of what our world is like. There are dark places in our reality.
When I get to know people I am surprised by how well they are doing, how well they are dealing with the darkness in their lives, rather than how badly.
Mar 5th, 2008
Albert
@ Suicidal: Thank you mate
@ CatherineL: Thank you for your kind words too. Definitely, fear is the biggest obstacle to overcome, and it sounds like you’ve made some major progress in that area.
@ Evan: Thank you as well heh. For the compliment and support on the suicide issue. I have accepted that it might happen, and that it might have been a failing on my part if it does happen, but does that mean I have to give up on my dream for the slim chance of something like this happening?
Mar 5th, 2008
Evan
Hi Albert,
I didn’t mean to suggest that you give up on your dream at all. But dealing with our fear (and anger too I think is very relevant to dealing with suicide) of this (and anger about it) make us better able to meet people.
I think we meet people in our vulnerability. It is OK to tell someone that if they commit suicide you will be hurt and angry, in my view.
Good boundaries are important if you are going to avoid burnout. This means receptivity as well as anger with those who hurt us (intentionally or not). Dealing with the fact that people commit suicide is something that every good counselor deals with. (This doesn’t come up in the lectures at Uni much!)
I think you could make an excellent counselor from what you say on this blog. Being in touch with our feelings (including fear) is a big part of it I think.
Mar 5th, 2008
Albert
Oh no no Evan, I know you didn’t mean that. I was just voicing out the conclusion I came to after my investigation. Thank you for the tips, I think they will be very helpful once I complete my studies. Heh, I wonder just how many % of clients are suicidal though…
Mar 5th, 2008
Evan
Hi Albert,
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
As to the percentage of suicidal people. It depends on the client group.
Incest and domestic violence (still horrifically prevalent) often lead to the victims contemplating suicide. Very badly abused people may make up about 1% of the population at my guess (I don’t think we have any reliable figures really because I think the men’s movement is a generation behind the women’s movement; so men don’t report sexual abuse much, less by their father, even less by their mother.) So that’s just my guess based on the people I’ve known and spoken to.
And it depends what sort of therapist you want to be. If you want to just do cognitive re-framing and CBT you don’t need to deal with people’s emotions much (it’s popular with academics for some reason. I wonder if we could figure out the reason). In my view it doesn’t matter much which school you follow - it is the relationship that does the healing.
Trust this makes sense.
Mar 5th, 2008
CatherineL
Albert - I am so sorry, I just realised I mistyped your name. Sorry - I think it was one of those moments - you know when someone mentions a similar word whilst you’re typing so you wind up typing that one instead.
@ Evan - Maybe I misunderstood your comment, but I can’t understand why you think “counsellors shouldn’t be put in that situation”. It’s like saying - I want to be a counsellor, but I only want to help the people who are mildly ill - stuff those who really need help.
Would the same thing apply to doctors or nurses - should they only have to deal with patients who are not dying, because it upsets them too much to deal with other people’s misery?
It isn’t nice to deal with any of those situations, but I think you really have to train yourself not to take other people’s pain as your own.
Mar 5th, 2008
Albert
@ Evan: Thank you for the info. The statistics are quite sad, especially like you said - most cases are not reported. CBT is quite an area of interest, although in my self-experimentation it has its limitations. I might end up being one of a mixture type of counsellor, I heard most of them are like that, instead of being a 100% CBT or 100% Freudian counsellor.
@ Catherine: No problem, no offense taken at all. That’s one great looking blog you have there as well. I’ll mention it in a link love in an upcoming post
Mar 5th, 2008
Jorge
Thanks for this marvelous post! It is always needed to remember this things when you are in the middle of the battle to gain direction.
Mar 5th, 2008
Roy
What do we do when our dreams really can’t come true? I would love to be an outdoor tour guide, park ranger, etc but I’m married living with my wife in Washington DC. We require a big salary to afford our house here and she’s not going to move.
If it was just me, I’d quit and live my dream, but I can’t because that would mean I’d have to leave my wife and my dogs and cats (they are my kids) and then my wife wouldn’t be able to afford living here anymore. It would break her heart.
I wish I had known what I truly wanted and had not thought that money was the answer, but I can’t change the past. I feel like I’m going to have to deal with the choices I’ve made and not live my dream. I know my wife and I want different things, but I love her too much to leave.
I work with computers and feel like I’m never going to be happy. I truly can’t stand working in the technology field anymore. But to be honest, I feel like I just have to accept it and be miserable.
I do fear one thing though, that I’ll get that outdoor job and not like it either. That is definitely a fear I’ve had for a while now.
So is there times when we don’t have fear, but have realized a hard truth?
Sorry for the long post =)
Mar 6th, 2008
Albert
@ Jorge: Thank you mate
@ Roy: Hmm… I am not really in the position to give personalised advice… perhaps you can journal and find out exactly what is holding you back. It could be just your wife, or it might be something more than that, something deeper underneath.
Could you talk to your wife and tell her just how miserable you are being? You might convince her to go with you, and that a lower income might be just as happy if not more - especially if you are happier, the relationship would be a lot happier too. Perhaps you could take her for a weekend away in the place you wanna go, and show her how life would be there - that it isn’t as bad as she thinks it is.
Perhaps you can try the outdoor job as well for a while, and see if it works out for you. I keep getting the feeling there’s something deeper underneath the issues you face, though. Sorry I can’t give any concrete advice, beyond a nice long talk with your wife.
Mar 6th, 2008
ReddyK - The Atma Jyoti Blog
Albert,
This is one of the best of your posts I have yet read.
It set me to thinking: What is the source of fear? And the answer was… not knowing. What is that potential boogie-man in the dark closet? We can always turn on the light through the type of analysis which you recommend.
But there is a primal ignorance which will remain however much we throw light on the specific fears we face. Who are we, really? Why are we here? What is our purpose in life? What is our ultimate destiny? Until we can answer these questions, not just intellectually, but experientially, there will always be a lurking fear as we make our way through this world of constant change and death.
Therefore, an active and continual spiritual life is essential to allay the fears which crop up around us. Doesn’t Jung say the same thing?
Keep up the good work!
Mar 6th, 2008
Roy
@Albert
Sorry for asking for such personal advice. I guess I just saw this great post and it brought out a question I’ve had for a while.
Thank you so much though for your advice. I will definitely talk to my wife and see how she feels.
Mar 6th, 2008
Albert
@ Reddy: I missed ya mate
That paragraph was awesome. I hesitated to go into it because it was pure book knowledge for me at this point - but there is a different perspective, a spiritual view that I couldn’t express. But you have done it beautifully.
@ Roy: No need to apologise at all, mate! I’m honored you would ask me such a question, and just felt bad I couldn’t help more.
Mar 6th, 2008
Andrea Hess|Empowered Soul
Albert, another great article and what a great discussion!
Fear is excellent information - if we are prepared to examine it. I totally agree with ReddyK that fear stems from not knowing. We are afraid of the places within us that we do not know. And, to continue the spiritual perspective, I think what makes us most afraid sometimes is our own Divinity. We don’t want that level of responsibility for our own experience! In the end, I think we are afraid of creating a life that we do not want - and having to own our creation. Odd that, because of this fear, we step out of the role of Creator altogether.
@ Roy: I know you have a dream of being a park ranger and working outdoors … but what is the essence of that dream? Is it connection to the planet? Is it freedom? What energetic quality does that job or lifestyle represent to you? Most likely, you can bring that energy into something that you are doing now. If it is about connecting to nature, you could create a business or project that allows people to do that, right where you are (and where it’s probably needed!).
This dream is telling you what is missing. Once you discover that essence, you can create it, right where you are. There’s always a way. Either/or thinking is out of alignment with Divine Abundance. There are almost infinite options available to us.
Thanks for this discussion, Albert!
Blessings,
Andrea
Mar 6th, 2008
Diane
Albert,
Wonderful post! I also think this one is the best one I’ve read so far. So much so that I am printing it to have a hard copy to work with.
From a patient point of view, sometimes thinking about suicide is part of the reframing process, that is what identified a boundary for me.
From reading your posts and archives, I think you will make an excellent therapist. Do not get discouraged. You (we all) can do alot to help another, but “helping” does not entitle one to “take control”. I don’t mean to sound preachy.
Anyway, thanks again for posting.
Oh - and one more thing- the video at the end of your post was no longer available when I activated the “play”. I am not the most computer savy person, Perhaps you could check this from your end and recommend something to me.
Keep it going…
~Diane
Mar 6th, 2008
Stephen Martile
Albert,
I have to be honest. I didn’t read your post.
I did read the title and immediately went to the video of Earl Nightingale. I don’t usually swear, but ‘holy crap’ that was an amazing clip. That video clip resonated so wildly with me. I’m going to pass along the message to a few others.
Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.
Stephen Martile
Personal Development Made Simple
http://www.stephenmartile.com
Mar 6th, 2008
Diane
Albert,
I did get to see the video clip. And like Stephen Martile, I am amazed. I am going to try to get a transcript of Earl Nightingale’s talk. Thank you again.
~Diane
Mar 6th, 2008
Joseph Bernard
Fear is such a powerful topic. I appreciate you addressing it. Here are some additional thoughts about fear.
1. We are programmed to be afraid, the nightly news is totally designed to get our attention by using fear.
2. Governments use fear to rationalize their behavior, to start wars, to torture, to spy on their citizens, and to restrict rights
3. Hillary Clinton used fear ads over the last week to gain an advantage over Barack Obama
4. Fear is the opposite of love. Fear is contraction, being closed. Love is expansion, being open. We are either expanding or contracting in relationship to what is going on in the moment.
5. If you find yourself being run by fear, find some way to open your heart, feel love. You cannot be loving and fearful as the same time.
Your site is awesome,
Joseph
http://www.explorelifeblog.com
http://www.peace-together.com
Mar 6th, 2008
Albert
@ Andrea: Being too afraid to take responsibility is a fantastic of putting it! I love it! A lack of knowledge could also be a core issue - many still think they’re being pushed around by life instead of being able to take control. Thanks.
Your comment to Roy is brilliant as well. It reminded me that the inner state can be the end goal, and therefore sometimes we don’t even need to do what we think we need. More on this in this post, Roy!
http://www.urbanmonk.net/64/ar.....ing-yours/
@ Diane: I appreciate all your support and additional thoughts as always.
Definitely, I’m sticking to my goals, heh. Glad you liked the video as well and that it ended up working for you.
@ Stephen: You’re welcome
I loved that video as much as you did , I was using Stumble Upon for fun when I came across it and I had a pretty similar reaction. Believe it or not, I have never used / heard / read an Earl Nightingale product in my life up to this point.
@ Joseph: That’s great insight. Especially the opposite of love parts. Yes the negative focus of the news, as well as the increasing violence and sadism in movies (Hostel, Saw, etc) is quite reflective of our collective inner states isn’t it? I hope it’s like the build up to the breaking point when we all realise how crazy we’re all being and suddenly stop. Thank you for stopping by.
Mar 6th, 2008
Evan
Hi Albert,
Here is my critique of the video.
I think Earle Nightingale wants us to conform to his advice don’t you?
He moves from the pursuit of a worthy goal to any goal chosen by an individual. These seem different to me. Those who destroy the planet, others and themselves may well be pursuing their goals.
It certainly is true that what we think on affects us. I do think it matters if this is because what we think about claims us or whether we do this as a kind of self-manipulation though.
I don’t think that linear thinking is the whole story. There are values and our instincts should not be ignored in my view.
Having faith is one thing. Having faith in faith is different.
So I can agree with everything he says about the importance of using our mind. I just think that there is a bigger story of which this is a part.
Mar 6th, 2008
Roy
@Albert & @Andrea
Thank you guys so much for your advice.
Ideas have already started flowing about different things I could do and would work in my situation. I guess I just needed to start thinking in a different way.
What you guys have made me realize is that being outdoors does mean freedom and connection to nature and these underlying goals are what truly matter. I got so narrow minded and didn’t think about why I wanted to be a tour guide, park ranger, etc.
One of the ideas is starting a fitness boot camp. It can be run outside, provide the freedom I wanted, and I’d really be helping people reach their own goals. Also I could do it in the mornings so until it took off I could keep my current job and still be able to pay the bills.
If this or something else doesn’t pan out, I can just think about what else could possibly help me reach those underlying goals.
Thank you so much guys!
Mar 7th, 2008
Jennifer Mannion
Hi Albert, Beautiful post and what a great video of Earl Nightingale! I wrote about overcoming my fears this week and your post resonated deeply with me. I am lucky enough to be living my passion and now am building on that to encompass even more by delving into life coaching. You have helped many people already Albert, including me and I see you as being an excellent psychologist. The fact that you would care so deeply that you can’t imagine what would happen if a patient hurt themselves is in my opinion just a testament that shows how deeply you care about people and how wonderful a psychologist you will be. You will excel at whatever you do — because you have chosen to live your passion which is helping people — there’s nothing in the world better than that and you are excellent at it already! Gratefully, Jenny
Mar 7th, 2008
Life Reflection
HI Albert,
Nice Post. I can fully understand your fear as I am exceptionally sensitive as well and I have not overcome these fear yet :/
Nice talk from Earl Nightingale, very inspiring!
I just posted a nice video from Joe Vitale talking about taking responsibility of what we have created. Interesting to watch it when you have time
http://liferandomthoughts.blog.....itale.html
Mar 7th, 2008
Albert
@ Evan: I agree with you there mate. Like you said, I think it’s just an introductory thing, with much more - virtues, etc - that has to play a part. It was one of the things that popped up in my head as a I wrote the series too - we are always saying go for your dreams and not worry about what others think. But what if your dreams are hurtful to others?
@ Roy: No problem
Let us know how you get on 
@ Jennifer: Wow Jenny! Thanks for the support and praise. You’re making me blush a little hehe. I’m glad you are living your passion, it’s fantastic!
@ Life Reflection: Thanks
Being sensitive can be a disadvantage at times, but very often it is one of the biggest blessings, so don’t stress too much about it hehehe. I’m going to check out the video now.
Mar 7th, 2008
Iron Fist
Wow. What a great post! Everyday, I try to do something that evokes a small feeling of fear. After many years, it’s getting harder and harder to find things! Thanks again.
Mar 8th, 2008
Albert
That’s a fantastic way of confronting your fears Iron Fist and how cool it is that it must be working for you!
Mar 8th, 2008
Tom Stine
You referenced Nathaniel Branden. Cool. I read his stuff 20 years ago when I was having an “Ayn Rand” moment in life. It was good stuff. Nice post!
Mar 9th, 2008
Albert
Thanks Tom! Nathaniel Branden is awesome - I’ve read much material on self esteem and his is definitely one of the best!
Mar 9th, 2008
Anonymous
Wow, this is an amazing post! Thank you, it is exactly what I needed to read. I know that fear leads me alot of the time, but I also believe it saves me from pain as well. So, it is tough, you know? But thanks for writing this…it is just the kick in the butt I needed.
Mar 13th, 2008
Daily Yeah
Thanks for this marvelous post! It is always needed to remember this things when you are in the middle of the battle to gain direction…
Mar 13th, 2008
job
Great writing..Fear of dark is one of the things that kids need to cope with..maybe you guys have something to say about this..? by the way,thanks for sharing
Mar 13th, 2008
Albert
Thank you Anonymous, Job, and Daily Yeah!
Mar 13th, 2008
Mr Positioning (Stanley Bronstein)
The major thing I have found in my experience is that many people do not know what their life’s purpose is. Several years ago, I went through many exercises where I finally determined my life’s purpose.
It is stated as follows:
My purpose in life is to help other people find their purpose in life and achieve it.
One sentence that sums it all up. I wound up taking my thought process about coming to this realization and putting it together into a workbook that is designed to help people do just that, find their purpose in life AND achieve it.
Purpose is key. If we act from purpose, things are usually much better.
Take care
Mr Positioning (Stanley F. Bronstein, Atty, CPA, Author and Professional Speaker)
Mar 22nd, 2008
Albert
@ Mr Positioning: Hello again! I’m grateful that you’re digging around the archives and leaving so many comments, it’s a real compliment. You’re right again, having a purpose is perhaps the first step everyone needs to make in their personal development journey. Without it we’re like boats with a sail.
Mar 22nd, 2008
Reply to “A Tested Guide to Transcending Your Fears and Finally Live Your Life’s Purpose”