Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Controlling Fear

Brad Isaac has put together a good list of 10 ways to control fear.

One of the fascinating aspects of fear is its ability to affect people in different ways: The combat veteran who is afraid of delivering a speech. The trial attorney who is afraid of giving a deposition. The decorated police officer who is afraid of being on television.

This also says, of course, that there are different types of courage. I recall a story of a Civil War soldier who would stay in line until the bullets began to fly and then run away. The rest of his unit never mocked him because he always returned and was always in the front ranks for the next battle where he would do the same thing again. The author of the story, which was true, reflected that the man may have been one of the bravest in the regiment because he was willing to face his fear time after time.

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