New Year New Me.

Really?

How many of us actually follow the resolutions we set in the multitudes of Januarys?

For those who did, congrats.

For those who didn’t, it’s fine.

We are all getting another shot at it this year.

I have read way too many newsletters about setting your goals, making it work, planning ahead, manifesting our future the right way.

I thought I share a little unorthodoxy.

Fear.

Why fear?

Because fear cuts through the noise.

It clarifies.

It’s clean.

It’s a primal force that trigger our innate, guttural responses, often more compelling than the lure of rewards.

While aspirations might get you started, fear — the fear of not reaching your potential, of regret, of stagnation — is what often keeps you moving.

It is potent.

Nothing gets you going like good ol fear.

As we step into the New Year, let’s explore a less conventional motivator behind our resolutions: the power of fear.

Not crippling, paralyzing fear, but a clear, propelling force.

Using Fear Constructively

1. Identify Your Fears: Begin by acknowledging what truly scares you. Is it the thought of being in the same spot next year as you are today? The possibility of unfulfilled potential? Regret is another powerful stimulant, but don’t overdose on it.

2. Turn Fear Into Action: Let this fear ignite urgency. For example, if you’re afraid of financial instability, use that fear to fuel your resolution to enhance your financial literacy or diversify your income streams this year. Take small steps, be more disciplined, chart out methodically and be relentless. Use fear to stimulate you once in a while when you feel sluggish or lagging behind.

3. Fear-Setting Over Goal-Setting: Borrowing from Tim Ferriss’s concept of ‘fear-setting’, list down the worst-case scenarios of not acting on your resolutions. This visualization can be incredibly motivating. Don’t overdo it, but focus on what you don’t want (anti-goals) and work from there.

Consider Elon Musk’s fear of irrelevance in a world where technology rapidly evolves.

This fear drives his relentless pursuit of innovation, from revolutionizing transportation with Tesla to dreaming big with SpaceX.

Elon also fears AI taking over humanity.

Hence he started X.ai and became a loudspeaker for AI.

Then there’s Bill Gates, whose fear of global health crises led to the formation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

His proactive approach in fighting diseases worldwide showcases how fear can be transformed into impactful, global initiatives.

Jeff Bezos, driven by the fear of not capitalizing on the burgeoning internet market, built Amazon, turning it into an ecommerce empire that redefined retail.

He literally turn his FOMO on the internet into the titan Amazon.

Each of these figures harnesses fear to fuel their ambitions.

Musk fears technological stagnation, Gates fears global health crises and Bezos fears missing digital opportunities.

Their fears are as diverse as their achievements, yet they share a common thread: using fear as a catalyst for change.

So even fear, harnessed strategically, used in moderation and delicately balanced with everything else, can be effective in our pursuits.

So, as we draft our New Year’s resolutions, let’s reflect on what scares us.

Is it the fear of not reaching our potential, the dread of being left behind, regret of not doing something, or something else entirely?

Let’s channel these fears into action.

They can be powerful allies in pushing us to innovate, reinvent, and strive for more.

This year, let’s not shy away from our fears.

Instead, let’s embrace them as the potent motivators they are.

-

Have you done your New Year Resolutions?

-

#NewYearNewYou #HarnessingFear #InnovationThroughFear #BoldMoves2024 #FearAsFuel, #NewYearNewMindset, #EmbraceChange2024, #InnovateOrStagnate, #RiskTakers, #GrowthMindset, #ChallengeAccepted, #BeyondComfortZones, #SuccessThroughFear, #Motivation2024

New Year New Me.

Really?

How many of us actually follow the resolutions we set in the multitudes of Januarys?

For those who did, congrats.

For those who didn’t, it’s fine.

We are all getting another shot at it this year.

I have read way too many newsletters about setting your goals, making it work, planning ahead, manifesting our future the right way.

I thought I share a little unorthodoxy.

Fear.

Why fear?

Because fear cuts through the noise.

It clarifies.

It’s clean.

It’s a primal force that trigger our innate, guttural responses, often more compelling than the lure of rewards.

While aspirations might get you started, fear — the fear of not reaching your potential, of regret, of stagnation — is what often keeps you moving.

It is potent.

Nothing gets you going like good ol fear.

As we step into the New Year, let’s explore a less conventional motivator behind our resolutions: the power of fear.

Not crippling, paralyzing fear, but a clear, propelling force.

Using Fear Constructively

1. Identify Your Fears: Begin by acknowledging what truly scares you. Is it the thought of being in the same spot next year as you are today? The possibility of unfulfilled potential? Regret is another powerful stimulant, but don’t overdose on it.

2. Turn Fear Into Action: Let this fear ignite urgency. For example, if you’re afraid of financial instability, use that fear to fuel your resolution to enhance your financial literacy or diversify your income streams this year. Take small steps, be more disciplined, chart out methodically and be relentless. Use fear to stimulate you once in a while when you feel sluggish or lagging behind.

3. Fear-Setting Over Goal-Setting: Borrowing from Tim Ferriss’s concept of ‘fear-setting’, list down the worst-case scenarios of not acting on your resolutions. This visualization can be incredibly motivating. Don’t overdo it, but focus on what you don’t want (anti-goals) and work from there.

Consider Elon Musk’s fear of irrelevance in a world where technology rapidly evolves.

This fear drives his relentless pursuit of innovation, from revolutionizing transportation with Tesla to dreaming big with SpaceX.

Elon also fears AI taking over humanity.

Hence he started X.ai and became a loudspeaker for AI.

Then there’s Bill Gates, whose fear of global health crises led to the formation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

His proactive approach in fighting diseases worldwide showcases how fear can be transformed into impactful, global initiatives.

Jeff Bezos, driven by the fear of not capitalizing on the burgeoning internet market, built Amazon, turning it into an ecommerce empire that redefined retail.

He literally turn his FOMO on the internet into the titan Amazon.

Each of these figures harnesses fear to fuel their ambitions.

Musk fears technological stagnation, Gates fears global health crises and Bezos fears missing digital opportunities.

Their fears are as diverse as their achievements, yet they share a common thread: using fear as a catalyst for change.

So even fear, harnessed strategically, used in moderation and delicately balanced with everything else, can be effective in our pursuits.

So, as we draft our New Year’s resolutions, let’s reflect on what scares us.

Is it the fear of not reaching our potential, the dread of being left behind, regret of not doing something, or something else entirely?

Let’s channel these fears into action.

They can be powerful allies in pushing us to innovate, reinvent, and strive for more.

This year, let’s not shy away from our fears.

Instead, let’s embrace them as the potent motivators they are.

-

Have you done your New Year Resolutions?

-

#NewYearNewYou #HarnessingFear #InnovationThroughFear #BoldMoves2024 #FearAsFuel, #NewYearNewMindset, #EmbraceChange2024, #InnovateOrStagnate, #RiskTakers, #GrowthMindset, #ChallengeAccepted, #BeyondComfortZones, #SuccessThroughFear, #Motivation2024