Kelley did a guest post yesterday over at Learning Voyager. It’s all about how fear kills focus and yet, paradoxically, how focus reduces fear. I have some minor quibbles with the semantics–I don’t think it’s pure fear so much as anxiety that kills focus–but the general sentiment is spot on.
I’ve talked before about the Armenian proverb that goes something like: get the load off your mind and onto your shoulders. In others words, don’t fret, do. Some people interpret that as do do do, running to keep your balance, doing without cease so you don’t have to think. Or, as we say in our house, paddling madly like a duck on fire.
Kelley doesn’t say this–it’s more than my life’s worth to put words in her mouth–but the way I see all this is: to survive, you have to face what you fear. Kelley is talking specifically about business, but I think it applies to most things. The most important attribute in hard times is bravery.
So be brave. Stop running from the bogie monster, turn around and look it in the eye. Acknowledge the worst case scenario. Then figure out how likely that worst case is. Probable? Or just plain ridiculous, a fear image based on childhood traumas? Take a breath. Think. Build a mental model and then play with it. What If your fears. If you play in earnest, you’ll find your fears are smaller than you think, smaller than you. You can win. If you think you can win, you can cope. Once you’re coping you can identify a solution. Once you’ve identified a solution you can draw up a plan. Then you go out and make it happen.
But none of that is possible if you’re running, if you’re paddling madly like a duck on fire.
Nicola Griffith 
Or if you are running from that bogey monster because it damn well ought to be run from, RUN, don't just panic & sprint & go helter-skelter!Anxiety is the suckiest; last year was a super gut-rotting one since I was always on the job crawl (had a job, needed a career). Now I'm soaking it in!
For some people it’s not just identifying the solution, it’s figuring out what the problem is in the first place ;)
Beautifully put Nicola.I was just talking about this same sort of thing on the comments section of my friend Erica Orloff’s blog. She had talked about getting inside of other’s heads when it comes to writing, and how that sometimes, it’s just so scary, that all you want to do is run. But confronting it head on, instead of running is the best thing one can do, like you say. It puts things into a manageable perspective; a monster that is no longer terrible and frightening. And in some (putting much emphasis on the term some) cases, you find that what you once thought was a monster, is just as “human” as any of the rest of us.I’m almost done reading Ammonite, by the way. My obsession level for you has increased to a point I didn’t realize I possessed. You are amazing. :)
<>mordicai<>, yes, fear, the pure adrenalin rush of it, is very focusing, and usually it says, with good reason: leave now, by any means necessary.<>jennifer from p<>, oh, I think if we’re brave enough to turn and look the problem is pretty clear, but if you’re so busy running then, no, you can’t always see clearly what you’re running from.<>realmcovet<>, I’m delighted you’re enjoying <>Ammonite<>. I have a special fondness for that one.
Embrace your fear. Then turn it around, give it a kick in the ass, and get going.
Nicola-Thanks for this. I’ve got surgery tomorrow and was feeling a bit of anxiety. Your words of wisdom make me feel much better.
Fear and flight response, unless you’re a bear, is, with few exceptions, a poor problem solver and probably harks back to the ancient dinosaur parts of our brains. Even rabbits don’t rely entirely on it to save themselves and instead put themselves upwind and stand stock still, seamlessly blending into the background and living to see another day. Recent research shows that the brain is far more adaptive right into old age than once thought. It is never too late to unlearn ingrained jerk responses, and apply new strategies for tackling problems head on. In times of a crisis be it personal or collectively, it takes someone to think outside the box and question old methodology and try something new. And that’s where the courage comes in.
Oops sorry only just saw that post about surgery tomorrow – it got in while I was posting – hope your surgery goes well, Anonymous!!
Anonymous, I hope your surgery goes well.