Fear Not
Move forward with fear and take it with you on an exciting adventure
RECONVERGE:G2 attendees greeted Wednesday’s theme of “Awakening Cultures of Humility” with a presentation by Jeff and Amy Meyer, founders of Sardis Collective. They spoke to the group about dreaming big, overcoming fears, and embracing service opportunities.
A lot of people live with fear, noted Jeff. It takes courage to move forward with fear. Further, fear, vulnerability, and courage are interrelated.
Indeed, fear and vulnerability “whisper back and forth a lot, especially in stressful circumstances.”
Fear sniffs out danger from miles away. It is not dynamic, it is not exploratory.
Vulnerability knows fear but “checks things out and creates something that may be risky.”
Courage “knows” that fear and vulnerability prevent innovation and learning new things. It risks being seen, risking someone seeing the unhidden truth. Courage is not the lack of fear or vulnerability, but it is realizing these emotions are influential but can be embraced and managed.
People demonstrating courage often feel terrified, but they are determined to forge ahead.
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of intimacy,” and the true connection to creativity and exploring new terrain.
It is the responsibility of intelligence pros to embrace fear and vulnerability to help their companies make breakthroughs.
Symposium participants observed there is truth in vulnerability.
Those demonstrating courage want affirmation that they will still be accepted.
A group exercise required attendees to break into triads. In a “round robin” fashion, each member of the group served as a sharer of something about themselves to become vulnerable, as listener to affirm and “question” the sharer, and as “observer” to note and appreciate the interaction between the two.
Some takeaways for participants were discovering a potential for “reframing” a situation after sharing it with an objective person; we also “hear” things differently as we speak them.
Discovery was further made that many of us share fears, and that companionship can result. Also, trust is required in collaborations—this trust requires vulnerability.
Also, the observation was made that existing relationships will impact potential for vulnerability; such relationships and more personal circumstances may require greater risk taking in expression of fear.
Vulnerability helps emotional growth and opens us up to see limitations so we might truly embrace our unique strengths. It allows us to be unapologetically “who we really are.”
Childhood is a time of life in which people are less uninhibited. If we can be more child-like, and “close the closet” on fear, we can “get outside of our adult headspace,” said Jeff.
Overcoming Fear
- Get outside of your adult headspace and tap into your inner child;
- Ignore the “second voice.” The “first voice” leads you to steps to be taken, the “second voice” finds reason to negate the first voice;
- “Lean on me” and be able to “swallow your pride”– let your needs (vulnerability) show;
- Identify and take your next step—make it as simple and concrete as possible; and
- Turn outward generously always. A place of pride is self-focused and indicates an inflated, inward view of oneself. Respond to your own position with humility and react to the concerns of others with your own vulnerability.
Vulnerability comes with surprising gifts: new relationships; discovering what your business is about and ability to discuss it; and an understanding that fear is not so big in the first place.
Move forward with fear and take it with you on an exciting adventure.