“Courage is found in unlikely places.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien
You might not think you’re the fearless type, but maybe your definition of “fearless” is too glamorous. Fearlessness isn’t always about risking your life. It can be about the small things, like learning a new skill, calling an old friend, or stepping up to a new challenge. Being fearless is not the absence of fear, it is using fear as an energy to move forward. Pushing past fear is an everyday feat. Being fearless is more about who you are, rather than what you do. Fearless people are great – they are full of life, good energy, passion and self-belief. They are bold trendsetters, who go against the grain to do something different and better because of a strong purpose and mission. You too can take fearless action if you have a strong enough purpose and mission. So, besides the obvious traits of being daring, confident and persistent, what makes a fearless person different from the rest? Here are seven ways you can grow into a more fearless person.
To me, Fearless is having fears. Fearless is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, Fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you to death.” ― Taylor Swift
1) They are kind, but not nice
Fearless people are light-hearted and kind – they give credit where it is due, achieve personal satisfaction through praising others along with celebrating their own success. But they are not trying to be nice and accepted by everybody. They prefer to be authentic, genuine, and liked because of who they are.
2) They are not afraid to look stupid
Fearless people are never afraid to ask someone for help, as they know it will get them closer to their goals. There is nothing wrong in asking questions, and frankly it takes a lot of courage to seek help. Be humble, it is actually appealing. Who can you reach out to today to seek help?
3) They are emotionally detached
The fearless don’t get too attached to their plan or outcomes. Detachment and acceptance is a healthier way to approach the complexities of human life. It helps us stay grounded and poised. Accepting negative emotions and experiences, rather than trying to control or eliminate them, allows you to view your situation as an observer, without putting too much pressure on yourself.
4) They feel the fear, but do it anyway
Fear is inevitable, fearless people know that, but they won’t surrender. Professional BASE jumper Chris “Douggs” McDougall, who has jumped over 2,800 times in 40 countries expresses, that he is always very scared when he jumps and indeed feels fear with whatever he does that involves risk-taking. The incredible feeling he gets out of doing it anyway, makes it worthwhile. Where in your life can you feel the fear and do it anyway?
5) They laugh at themselves
A fearless person is not afraid to fail, because if you let go of your self-importance, you will discover that failure does not hold so much power over you. Often we fail to take important risks because we believe that we will look like fools in other people’s eyes if we don’t succeed. Fearless people realize that other people don’t actually care that much. Others are too focused on their own fears, failures, and shortcomings to worry about you.
6) They laugh at life
In the end, we all will die, and the real epic failure comes when we didn’t live life to the fullest! We might as well go for it, right? What you do between now and then will define your time on this earth. The multi-talented author, performer, and entrepreneur Shed Simove reveals in A Winning Personality, that he takes his life as an experiment: “… I never fail, because experiments never fail in a science lab, they always get results.“ Life is an experiment and a game – have fun with it!
7) They are unconventional
To be fearless means we don’t conform to the norm if it’s against what we believe in. Instead, be courageous, do the opposite from others and break free from society’s expectations. Fearless people don’t spend much time hesitating about making decisions, because they do not fear the unknown. Fearlessness is more than power and control, it’s humility, wisdom and self-awareness, it’s understanding your weaknesses and not overemphasizing your strengths. You don’t have to be Indiana Jones to live a brave and courageous life. You just have recognize you can become a fearless person in your own unique way. We all have battles to fight. Look yourself in the eyes and make the commitment to stop running from what you’re afraid of!
“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.” ― Jim Morrison
Meet the author:
Tanja Korobka is a freelance writer, who wants to encourage people to think differently, take daring journeys, big risks and ultimately live the life they love.
