In our last couple +1s, we’ve been discussing the seven fears Darrin Donnelly tells us we need to conquer in his great sports fable Victory Favors the Fearless.
Let’s continue our discussion.
Today we’re going to focus on the importance of feeding faith and starving fear.
Darrin tells us: “Remember the definition of fear: Fear is the strong, unpleasant emotion that expects something bad to happen. Well, faith is the opposite. Faith is the strong, pleasant emotion that expects something good to happen. These two emotions are inside you, competing against each other. The emotion you choose to feed the most will win. How do you feed your emotions? With self-talk.”
He continues by saying: “Most battles are won before they are fought. The guy who is so afraid of all the bad things that might happen is probably going to experience a lot of bad things. But the guy who has the faith he can withstand the bad things that happen and counter them with good things—well, that guy is probably going to experience a lot of good things.”
Fear.
To recap: Darrin defines fear as “the strong, unpleasant emotion that expects something bad to happen.” Its antidote is FAITH, defined as “the strong, pleasant emotion that expects something GOOD to happen.”
Fear vs. Faith.
The ultimate showdown.
Former Navy SEAL Commander (and dear friend/Heroic investor) Mark Divine wrote a whole book on the subject called Staring Down the Wolf.
Mark also echoes the wisdom on the fact that most battles are won BEFORE they begin.
In Unbeatable Mind, he tells us: “I think by now I have made it clear that SEALs operate at an elite level because they learn to control their minds and establish the win internally before they enter the fight. This is the First Premise.”
How do we win this battle?
SELF-TALK.
Darrin recommends we check out Shad Helmstetter’s book What to Say When You Talk to Yourself to learn more about how to master our self-talk. (So does Olympic gold medal winner and author of With Winning In Mind Lanny Bassham, btw.)
Here’s what Helmstetter tells us: “What is Self-Talk and how does it work? The definition of Self-Talk can be simply stated: Self-Talk is a way to override our past negative programming by erasing or replacing it with conscious, positive new directions. Self-Talk is a practical way to live our lives by active intent rather than by passive acceptance.
With Self-Talk, we have a way to give new directions to our subconscious minds by talking to ourselves in a different way, consciously reprogramming our internal control centers with words and statements which are more effective, more helpful to every part of us that we would like to improve. The Self-Talk statements paint a new internal picture of ourselves as we would most like to be.”
Helmstetter also tells us: “If there were two of you, and one of you became a positive, productive Self-Talker, and the other did not, for whom would you cast your vote? I know which one I would vote for, every time.”
I’d bet on that positive self-talking version of you as well.
Let’s be THAT best, most Heroic version of ourselves as we feed faith and starve fear.
TODAY.
P.S. Check out Self-Image 101 for more.
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