Fear

It is often said that fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. While this is often the case, there is more to fear than that.

Fear is an emotional response to a perceived, unknown threat. For example, if you hear a loud knock on your door in the middle of the night, you might experience fear—you perceive a threat because you do not know who is at the door. However, if you are expecting someone, the same noise will not evoke a feeling of fear.

The owners of paint contracting companies are often reluctant to make changes in their business because of fear. They perceive some threat—perhaps failure—and the consequences of the change are unknown. This isn’t necessarily irrational, or making false evidence appear real. The chance of failure does exist, and there are unknowns.

Overcoming our fear is necessary if we are to move forward. There are several key steps in this process.

The first is to identify the actual facts. Are there as many unknowns as we think? Have we made similar changes before? Can we learn from others who have made similar changes? Answering these questions can help us realize that the unknowns are not as significant as we think. We may actually know more about the situation than first appears.

The second step is to identify what information we can obtain to reduce the unknowns. This may involve soliciting the input from someone who has made a similar change or doing research. Knowledge is certainly an ally, as it helps eliminate or reduce unknowns.

Armed with this knowledge, we can then develop a plan that will reduce risks and address any remaining unknowns. The plan allows us to think through the change, identify potential obstacles, and have a specific course of action.

The process of overcoming fear is designed to reduce the perception of an unknown threat. As we gather more information, the unknowns decrease. As our knowledge expands, the perceived threat is reduced. In combination, our fear will be greatly diminished and we will be prepared to move forward.