I Will Face My Fear

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Frank Herbert, ‘Dune’

It’s only a while ago that I started reading Frank Herbert’s “Dune” (again). I was inspired by the, at the time, upcoming movie.

Having just watched this amazing movie, at the cinema, I am now inspired to write this post about one of the main concepts of the book, and the movie, which is “facing fear”.

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me,” writes Frank Herbert.

Let’s examine the truth of this quote.

According to various studies and reports, so many people seem to be unhappy with their jobs, and/or unsatisfied with their lives.

Instead of being present and fully living their lives, valuing their dreams, and actively pursuing what gives them meaning and purpose, they seem, instead, to be passively going through the motions that is their life, stuck in situations that offer little value and much dissatisfaction, adopting a pessimistic, cynical, self-limiting and defeating mindset on the way.

Why is that? What is it that’s holding them back, holding them frozen in place, unable to act, powerless and helpless? What is it if not “fear“?

So, I say to you, “You must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings obliteration. Face your fear.“

If you listen to your fears, you will die never knowing what a great person you might have been.

Robert Schuller

Fear does not prevent death. It prevents life.

Naguib Mahfouz

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek.

 Joseph Campbell

When we forget our ability to choose, we learn to be helpless.

Greg McKeown

Make your faith larger than your fears and your dreams larger than your doubts.

Robin Sharma