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Day 29<br />
Conquer a Fear<br />
Fear can be a good thing. It’s a biological instinct that prevents us from<br />
doing stupid things that might kill us. For example, fear kicks in with good<br />
reason when we see a slithering snake or look over the edge of a cliff.<br />
Unfortunately, fear is not always rational and not always healthy. Thus,<br />
our heart races when we’re getting on a plane but not when we’re driving,<br />
even though we have a far greater chance of dying while behind the wheel.<br />
And while fear works to prevent us from physical pain, it can also hold us<br />
back from the chance at both the pain of a crushed ego and the exhilaration<br />
of victory and success.<br />
The Manliness of Overcoming Your Fears<br />
1. Fear is irrational. No one can ever be fully rational in their choices<br />
and behavior. But every man should strive to live with reason and<br />
ration as his guide. Fear is a primal instinct, not a function of higher<br />
brain faculties. When we logically think through our fears, we often<br />
find that they have no real rational basis.<br />
2. Fear is cowardly. We often try to frame our fears in ways that soothe<br />
our egos. We say that we’re being prudent or cautious. We say that<br />
we haven’t tried simply because it’s not important to us. We say that<br />
we’re just a little nervous. But if you want to start overcoming your<br />
fears, it’s helpful to call a spade a spade. Don’t say, “I’m not doing this<br />
because I’m nervous,” say, “I’m not doing this because I’m a coward.”<br />
This is not meant to be harsh; I actually find it quite helpful to frame