That rustling in the bushes? It might be a lion. That storm brewing? Get inside. Not have enough food for the winter? Get ready now.

Lions and storms and lack of food were very real fears for our ancestors. These fears were the difference between life and death. Take this point to its logical conclusion, go back far enough, and these fears were life. Our life.

It’s thanks to our ancestors taking precautions to these fears that we are here right now. These fears meant our ancestors took action. But do these fears exist in the modern world? To a certain extent, yes. Humans still live out in the savanna, humans still have to deal with storms, humans still have to eat. But, in our modern lives these primal fears are all but taken care of.

The modern equivalent is the fear of failure. This is a real fear. Real in the sense that it’s enough to stop people from speaking in public, it’s enough to stop people from trying new ideas, and it’s enough to stop people from living.

But does it really exist? Should we give it the time of day?

Primal fears caused people to take action. Modern fears cause people to cease up.

Why?

What’s going to happen to you if you speak out in public? What’s going to happen to you if you test a new idea? What’s going to happen to you if you stop living?

Surely it can’t be worse than being mauled to death by a lion, dying due to exposure out in the elements, or starving to death in the cold.

If that fear causes you to take action, you should be thankful. Take that fear and use it as a weapon. I’m willing to bet it won’t kill you.