What keeps you from living your dreams?

[Guest guest]

I received this from a Minnesota friend. Sorry that I don't know who

originally authored it. I hope you find value in it.

 

Rich Putman

 

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Albert Camus, a famous author and philosopher, once applied names to

the previous centuries. He named the seventeenth century as the

century of math. The eighteenth was the century of physical. The

nineteenth was the century of biology. Then, he shocked the public by

naming the twentieth century the century of fear.

 

Along with this bold statement, came that of philosopher and poet,

W.H. Auden. He called our time, " The Age of Anxiety. "

 

Newspaper columnist Ann Landers was once asked, " Out of all the

thousands of letters you receive each month, what problem is most

dominate in people's lives? "

 

" It's fear! " she replied without hesitation. " People live in bondage

with their fear. They're afraid of losing their wealth. They're afraid

of losing their loved ones. They're afraid of being themselves.

They're afraid of growing up and being responsible. They're afraid of

life itself! "

 

What about you? What fear, hidden or known, is affecting your behavior

and keeping you from living your dreams?

 

I have never met a person who hasn't had to face some degree of fear.

In all the interviews I did for my book, Conquer Fear, every person

had a story about how they, too, had to face and deal with their fear.

What I began to notice is how similar the stories were! The names

would change. The circumstances were different. But the fear was the

same - and very real. I came to understand this profound truth:

 

The difference between mediocre success and a breakthrough success is

your willingness to face and deal with your fear.

 

When your fear is exposed, you break its control over you. The reality

is, fear was never intended to dominate your destiny or control your

behavior. FEAR IS HUMAN. It is in every person's life, exists in every

success story, and is part of growing. Fear isn't going away. It's not

fear that keeps you from success. It's your inability to deal with it.

 

The first step in dealing with your fear is to change your beliefs

about it. Change the way you think about fear and you change your

reaction to it. Fear can be healthy. Think about it. It is fear that

gives you the powerful adrenaline rush so that you will have the

ability to flee from a situation that is truly unsafe or the same

adrenaline rush to fight to win! Yes, fear is a gift, instilled in you

to keep you safe and lead you to faith. So what happened? Why do

people allow this gift to negatively control their actions, their

beliefs, and ultimately their lives? Well, it has a lot to do with

making a distinct difference between your instinct and your intellect.

 

As a child you would react instinctively to fear. This was acceptable

behavior for you then. But, over time, you developed habits of

behavior that today cause you to react to fear instead of act. You

react instinctively to fear by running from it, ignoring it,

sabotaging your efforts, or quitting the very dream you said you

wanted. These habits of behavior are programmed into you. To interrupt

these negative behaviors you need to use you intellect and act in your

fear.

 

Every person has fear. The successful have learned to befriend their

fear. They don't react in their fear. They act in it - walking through

their fear.

 

You might be saying, " Sure, Lisa. That's easy for them. But my

situation is different! " Maybe so. But remember one thing. Every

person has the same weapon to help them act in their fear. Every

person has the gift of faith. The way to befriend fear is to

neutralize it with its opposite - which is faith. Is your faith

stronger than your fear? Where faith is dominant fear is silenced.

Faith is like a multivitamin on steroids! It is faith that fosters

hope, courage, boldness, and conviction. These are all the ingredients

you need to conquer fear.

 

The headline of a recent USA Today read, " Faith is more important than

food. " That was the conclusion of a remarkable medical report, which

studied the correlation between stress and ulcers. The report cited

that ulcers were by-products of anxiety, worry, and fear. It went on

to discuss how faith is the most powerful cure for a patient suffering

from an ulcer.

 

Even the medical community recognizes the power of faith. To an ulcer

patient writhing in pain, faith is more important than food. But, this

truth applies also to healthy people as well. It applies to parents

doing all they can to raise healthy, happy kids. It applies to spouses

trying hard to keep their marriage alive or even keeping it together.

Faith applies to professionals working to build their business. The

bigger the goal - the bigger need for faith.

 

But what really is faith?

 

Webster's definition of faith is " belief, trust, or reliance. " The

Apostle Paul's definition is " Faith is the assurance of things hoped

for and the conviction of things not seen. " Do you have the assurance

of things hoped for, and a strong conviction that, you have all you

need to make your life work? Well-known author, Max Lucado, explains

faith in the following story:

 

Imagine that you are an ice skater in competition. You are in first

place with one more round to go. If you perform well, the trophy is

yours. Then, only minutes before your performance, your trainer rushes

to you with the thrilling news: " You've already won! The judges

tabulated the scores, and the person in second place can't catch you.

You are too far ahead. "

 

Upon hearing the news, how will you feel? How will you skate? How

about courageously and confidently? You will do your best because the

prize is yours!

 

Live your life like you've already won. Walk into that job interview

like you've already got the job. Ask that girl out on a date like

she's already said yes. Ask for that sale like you've already made it!

 

Albert Camus, W.H. Auden, and Ann Landers exposed our fear. Fear

exists. But you can conquer fear and neutralize its power by

cultivating your faith. Have an assurance of things hoped for and a

conviction of things not seen and you will create hope, boldness, and

courage, and begin living the life you dream of.