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Jorge Guerrero

Logistics & Reception, TEDxSLP

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What would you do if you weren't afraid?

After watching Candy's talk I had this interesting comment in my mind: Being afraid stops us from dreaming and from reaching our goals. How many times while we're doing a big project we've asked ourselves: What if it doesn't works? What if it's a total disaster? What would the people say about it? And those kinds of questions automatically makes us feel bad and, sometimes, we quit that project. What do we get from this? Not being able to reach that goal, all thanks to fear.
What do you think?
What would you do if you weren't afraid?

Related Talks:
Topics: fear
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    pat gilbert 50+

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    Mar 5 2013: Be complacent?
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    Obey No1kinobe 50+

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    Mar 5 2013: Fear has role to play. I'm afraid of crossing a busy road or sticky my finger in a electricity socket.


    Sometimes acting based on fears leads to a a net positive result. Sometimes net neutral, and sometimes net negative.

    Sometimes there can be fear in both directions e.g. I'm worried about the wife setting up a business with a large part of our savings in a very competitive market and with limited experience or competitive advantage/points of differentiation. I worry she will not be happy if she does not give it a go and also that she will be disappointed if it fails.


    I still think it is worth considering consequences, but agree with checking whether some of these are rational, or unnecessarily holding you back.

    Personally laziness, a busy work schedule, and enjoying the free time I have is probably holding me back more than fear. And perhaps a lack of any grand or audacious dreams or goals. Things are going okay. No great regrets in this regards. The things I might regret such as not trying hard enough in the marriage, not looking after my health are not being held back by fear.

    Fear and regret may be tightly woven.
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    Robert Winner 50+

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    Mar 4 2013: If you are not a little afraid then you have no appreciation of what is happening. With no fear I would probally do something really stupid ... that could result in anything from getting my butt kicked to death.

    I must say that I think you mean irrational fears.

    • amacker b

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      Mar 5 2013: Exactly. Fear and Pain are there to protect you.

      So ... fears that do not protect you.

  • Donna Laibl

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    Mar 3 2013: Live
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    edward long 100+

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    Mar 2 2013: I would probably be afraid that something was going to happen to ruin my fear-free existence.

  • george lockwood 20+

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    Mar 1 2013: Maybe this is personality related. The T or F in myers-Briggs may be a factor. Seriously, the valences in risk evalution also may have many factors. I don't fly - small planes seem too dangerous, but I know master pilots who have told me they are. I don't do motorcycles, but I have friends that do - I also remember that onefriend tolds me if you readthe obitsclosely - he has found really good deals on bikes. Thus, I believe INTJ's and ENTJ's have very strong reasons for fear. Will they do dangerous things that will get their subordinates killed?- Sure - I am talking about Napoleon, Grant, Zukov, and Omar Bradley. Maybe this is a little different, but I am not sure that blind admiration for risk taking is wise because the ability to evaluate risk varies so widely. Also, certain people understand the risk and do it anyway. King Leonidas one of the two Kings of Sparta was only allowed to sacrifice himself and three hundred men in one famous battle. As we all know - they died. He used two(2) criteria 1. Would you go? 2. Do you have a surviving son? Yes, they all died. Is this a happy story No - Except that none of their sons had to die in battle. What does that mean? If you are perceived as a little nuts people leave you alone. Maybe this briar patch isn't exactly what was meant, but it is related.
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      Fritzie Reisner 100+

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      Host
      Mar 1 2013: You raise an excellent point that blind admiration for risk-taking is not wise. Some people are naturally so cautious that they don't give themselves a chance to reach great heights. Others are so prone to extreme risk taking that they don't give themselves a chance to reach great heights.
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    Colleen Steen 500+

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    Mar 1 2013: Jorge,
    Fear can motivate us....fight or flight.....act or react. The challenge presents itself when we FOCUS on fear.....when we allow fear to be part of the underlying foundation of our life experience. I certainly have times when I am afraid....however.....my life experience is NOT based on fear....and that makes all the difference.

    Questioning ourselves DOES NOT have to ""automatically make us feel bad...". WHEN/IF we realize the benefits of questioning ourselves, we do not let the questioning take us to a place of insecurity or lack of self confidence in ourselves. Questioning is good. Focusing on fear or allowing the fear to create insecurity in our "self" is not so useful.

  • greg dahlen 20+

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    Feb 28 2013: Jorge, I generally don't consider myself afraid. I guess I get to do a lot of interesting things because of it.

  • Robbert-Jan Brems

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    Feb 28 2013: My first thought would be being unhappy. Since I realized I had fear of failure, I learned how to use my fear to create happiness.
    Now fear has become part of my process.

    Be inspired, take action, fail fast, recover and learn, take another step, ...

    For me it all started with the awareness of what fear does with me. Now I see more clearly, I would not imagine a life without fear.

  • carolyn mcauley 10+

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    Feb 28 2013: Maybe someone like you,who has fear of trying new endevours should know people like me who are not afraid of trying new concepts...but fail to complete them...why not outsource your bravery..watch them for how they handle the pitfalls and then plan your path accordingly...I copy people with great ideas and attitudes all the time..being brave within the idea world is great,but steadfast people who can endure the tedious world of building the structure for good ideas to endure are in the end priceless

  • george lockwood 20+

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    Feb 28 2013: Being afraid does have a biological function. it's a way to avoid an early death.
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      Kate Blake 50+

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      Feb 28 2013: George you are talking about rational fear, if a car is heading toward us it's right to be afraid and jump out of its path!

      My take on Jorges topic is she is asking about our irrational fears that hinder our progress ... Can you please clarify this Jorge?
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        Jorge Guerrero

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        Feb 28 2013: You are right Kate I'm talking about irrational fear because obviously all of us would be frightened in the situation that George mentioned.
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    Kate Blake 50+

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    Feb 28 2013: Our abilities would be absolutely limitless! Try it ...
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