Give Fear the Smack Down

In 1989, the overall #1 pick in the NFL draft was a young player from UCLA. His 12 seasons as the starting quarterback for a team in Texas was a star-studded career... He was selected to the Pro Bowl six times He led his team to three Super Bowl victories ...and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. This man was Troy Aikman. During Troy’s career, the Dallas Cowboys were so feared, most teams went to the stadium with the expectation of LOSING! Why? I would argue those teams were way too deferential. They feared their own inferiority. Or both... Fear is unhealthy and one of the worst things you can fall into. Fearing your opponents, who or whatever they might be, automatically makes those things seem bigger, faster and smarter than they really are. Thus, there is a great advantage to be found in being UNIMPRESSED. Take a look at current presidents, kings, so-called titans of industry, celebrities and billionaires; you can easily find plenty of reasons to be completely unimpressed. Don’t fall into the intimidation trap. Refuse to be easily impressed. Rather, see your own talents as impressive. Remember to notice the reality of “Exalted Ones”; they’re just like you and me. They might have an impressive talent, but we’re all a mixed bag. No one is better than you, no one is more “valuable” than you. There’s no real reason other than the ones we create in our heads, to be intimidated or deferential. Be unimpressed. Notice this in the DNA of every underdog story… you too can cultivate the fine art of being unimpressed. Remember, courage isn’t the absence of fear--it’s the ability to ACT, despite the presence of fear. Try this out, and let me know if you don’t find yourself winning more than ever. Be brave!