Guest guest Posted November 24, 2003 Report Share Posted November 24, 2003 Hi Rich, I believe it is excerpted from Lisa Jimanez's book Conquer Fear. People can download it from asamanthinketh website or order the book from Amazon which I did. Lisa has also conducted numerous telecasts based on this book teaching the principles she wrote about in Conquer Fear. Love Sharon > >Message: 1 > Sun, 23 Nov 2003 18:36:03 EST > rputman >What keeps you from living your dreams? > >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 > >********************************************** >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. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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