Warrior Mindset – Part 4: Overcoming Fear

Welcome back, Fellow Warriors! If you've been following our journey through the Warrior Mindset series, you'll know that we've explored some powerful ideas so far. In Part 3, we dove into finding and fueling that inner fire that keeps us going, even when the world tries to extinguish it.

Today, in Part 4, we're tackling another crucial aspect of the warrior mindset: overcoming fear. Fear is something we all face and learning how to live with it...not let it control us...is key to becoming a true corporate warrior.

Overcoming Fear

Here’s the thing about fear: it’s never really gone, is it? I used to think fear was something you could just "get over"...that one day you’d wake up, fearless, ready to tackle anything. But it doesn’t work like that. Fear is part of life, and if you’re waiting for it to disappear before you take action, you’ll be waiting forever. The warrior mindset? It’s not about being without fear. It’s about knowing how to live with it and still move forward.

Facing Fear Head-On

I’ve had my fair share of fear, and it’s not always the big, dramatic kind. Most of the time, it’s the little stuff...fear of failing at a new project, fear of disappointing someone, or even just fear of putting myself out there and being rejected. I remember this one time when I was supposed to give a big presentation at work. Public speaking? Yeah, not my thing. I was terrified. I spent the entire week leading up to it just dreading that moment. I was so close to calling in sick that day...just to avoid the fear.

But that’s when I realized something: fear isn’t going away. It’s always going to be there, lurking in the background. And if I let it stop me this time, it’ll stop me the next time, too. That was the moment I decided to do something different. I leaned into the fear. I told myself, “This is scary, but I’m going to do it anyway.” And guess what? The presentation wasn’t perfect, but I survived. And more importantly, I learned that fear doesn’t have to control me.

Fear-Setting: A Different Approach

A little while after that, I came across this idea of fear-setting...thanks to Tim Ferriss. Now, if you’ve never heard of it, fear-setting is kind of like goal-setting, but for your fears. Instead of just visualizing what could go right, you actually take the time to map out what could go wrong. You look fear straight in the face and say, “Okay, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Here’s how it works:

When you take this approach, fear loses a lot of its power. You realize that even if the worst happens, you can deal with it. And that’s freeing. I’ve used this method more times than I can count, and each time, it helps me push through the fear instead of letting it hold me back.

Stoicism and the Warrior Mindset

You know, the whole concept of fear-setting ties back to a much older philosophy: stoicism. Stoicism teaches that a lot of what happens in life is out of our control, and it’s how we respond to those events that really matters. You can’t control if something bad happens, but you can control your reaction to it. And when you get that—really get it—fear loses its grip on you.

I started reading about stoicism a while back, and one of the quotes that really stuck with me was from Seneca: “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” Isn’t that the truth? So many times, I’ve stressed about something, playing out worst-case scenarios in my head, only to find that the reality wasn’t nearly as bad as I imagined. Stoicism helped me understand that most of the time, fear is just noise. It’s a distraction. And a warrior knows how to tune out that noise.

Practical Ways to Overcome Fear

Okay, so let’s get practical. How do you actually apply this warrior mindset to your daily life? How do you stop fear from controlling you? Here’s what’s worked for me:

1. Practice Negative Visualization – This is another stoic practice. Instead of only visualizing success, take some time to think about the things that could go wrong. Picture them, sit with them. The point isn’t to scare yourself—it’s to show your mind that you can handle whatever comes your way.
2. Start Small – You don’t need to tackle your biggest fear all at once. Start with the small stuff. Afraid to speak up in meetings? Start by sharing one thought, even if it’s just a quick comment. Over time, you’ll build the muscle to take on bigger fears.
3. Breathe – I know, it sounds simple. But when fear hits, our breath is the first thing to go. It gets shallow, and suddenly, everything feels worse. When I feel fear creeping in, I take a few deep breaths, right from the belly. It’s amazing how much it helps.
4. Embrace Discomfort – This one took me a while to get. But fear and discomfort go hand-in-hand. The more you get comfortable with being uncomfortable, the less power fear has over you. For me, this meant doing things like cold showers or hard workouts. Little by little, you build up your tolerance for discomfort, and soon, fear doesn’t seem so scary.
5. Reflect on Past Wins – Look back at times when you were afraid but pushed through anyway. Remember how good it felt afterward? That’s proof you can do it again. I’ve got a journal where I jot down these moments, so when fear strikes, I have a reminder that I’ve overcome it before—and I can do it again.

Turning Fear Into Fuel

Here’s the thing about fear: it’s never going to disappear completely, but that doesn’t mean it has to hold you back. In fact, I’ve learned that fear can actually be a powerful motivator—if you let it. Instead of running from it, you can use it as fuel. Think about it: if something scares you, it means it matters to you. It means you’re pushing beyond your comfort zone, and that’s where real growth happens.

So the next time fear creeps in, instead of letting it stop you, ask yourself: What’s the worst that could happen? Face that fear, make a plan, and then move forward anyway. That’s what warriors do. They feel the fear, they acknowledge it, and then they keep going. They don’t wait for fear to go away—they take action in spite of it.

Are you ready to do the same?

Thank you for joining me in this deep dive into fear and how to face it head-on. Remember, it's not about eliminating fear, but about using it as fuel to propel you forward.

If you found today's insights valuable, I encourage you to grab your free report, "Secret Practices of a Corporate Warrior," for even more strategies on mastering your inner game. And stay tuned for the next issue, where we'll continue our exploration with Part 5...I promise it will be worth the wait!

Until then, keep pushing forward, warriors!