Fear is the Enemy of Progress

Monday Security Memo

Intellectual firepower for security professionals

Fear is the Enemy of Progress

“Limits, like fear, are often an illusion.”

– Michael Jordan

Dear A,

Fear will kill your dreams.  Fear will murder your ambitions.  And worst of all, fear will rob you of the life you were meant to live.

In The Book on Mental Toughness, Andy Frisella makes it crystal clear: fear isn’t just a feeling—it’s a thief.  It sneaks in quietly, convincing you to play it safe, shrink your goals, and silence your voice.  But here’s the truth: most of what we fear won’t hurt us.  Most of what we fear will never happen.  And most of what we fear is an absolute waste of time.

Sure, there are things in life worth fearing.  The health of a loved one.  A real threat to your safety.  But let’s be honest—those aren’t the fears that hold us back.  What really paralyzes people are the shallow fears, such as:

• What if they say no?
• What if I try something new and I’m terrible at it?
• What will people think if I wear this?
• Is my social media picture good enough?
• What if I don’t find someone to love me?
• What if I people laugh at my idea?
   

We waste precious energy obsessing over the opinions of people who, quite frankly, wouldn’t even show up to our funeral.  As Dave Ramsey says, “We buy things we don’t need, with money we don't have, to impress people we don’t like.”  That’s fear, too—fear disguised as keeping up.

The real tragedy is how many people never realize their potential because of fear.  They have talent.  They have great ideas.  They have ambition.  But instead of moving forward, they get stuck in the same destructive loop:

1. Paralysis from fear
   
2. Lack of productivity from paralysis
   
3. Regret from lack of productivity
   
   

It’s the cycle of mediocrity.  The proverbial deer in the headlights.  Life presents an opportunity, challenge, or a unique situation… and rather than embrace it, they freeze.  They stand there and let life run them over.  All they had to do was make a decision and take a step forward.

So many people needlessly suffer through the Cycle of Mediocrity.

There’s a saying in football: If you're going to make a mistake, make it going full speed. The same applies to life. Don’t let your peak be some distant memory from high school or college. Keep growing. Keep swinging. Make mistakes—but make them while moving forward.

The truth is, productivity is a skill. Ambition is a skill. Discipline is a skill. Execution is a skill. And like any skill, they’re developed through action, not perfection. You don’t build mental toughness by waiting until you feel ready. You build it by doing the thing while you’re scared, while you’re uncertain, while your hands are shaking.

Coach Nick Saban famously said, “There are two pains in life: the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, you’ll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment.”

In other words—get off your ass and do the work. Don’t let laziness or fear rob you of your future. The past is done. Move on, already! Regret won’t fix it. But action will move you forward. So stop looking in the rearview mirror and start driving. We're talking about your life here, people.

So next time fear whispers in your ear, recognize it for what it is: a liar trying to keep you small. Choose courage. Choose growth. Choose progress. Because your dreams are waiting—and fear is the only thing in the way.

Stay safe and vigilant!

Luke Bencie