In his inauguration address in 1932, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Many of you have heard this quote and are aware of FDR's daunting task at the time of bringing America out of the Great Depression. What is less quoted, but arguably as important is the definition of fear that he gives in that same speech, calling it "nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
Now fear is an interesting thing, as it creates a barrier to getting stuff done. Likewise, it is important to note, as FDR said, how often fear is irrational. I'll give you two examples of how this is so.
In a previous job, we were constructing a large building with a plexiglass wall that gave a view from the top layer all the way to the basement – six stories in all. Do you know that many people would not walk close to the glass wall because of the fear of heights and falling? We solved this problem by installing a waist-high decal stripe on the glass, giving the appearance of a rail, yet with no change to the structural integrity of the glass wall at all. Amazingly, more people would walk close to the wall because their minds perceived it differently, thinking it more solid. Now consider this past weekend and the irrational fear of sleeping in a lean-to instead of sleeping in a tent. A tent is a thin fabric barrier between you and the outdoors and some of you have over 100 nights sleeping in a tent. Yet when imaginations run wild about what creatures are out and about, that tent is a safe zone, just like that sticker on the plexiglass wall, when in fact, it is not much different than sleeping in an open shelter.
The key to overcoming fear is to employ rational thought and to train to build confidence. This is the foundation of bravery. Continue to challenge yourself. Think: "why am I afraid?" If it is a lack of a certain skill, do something about it. If it is illogical, do a gut check. Do not let fear paralyze you and keep you from being the best version of yourself.
A Scout is Brave