How to Go from Fear to Motivation with 22 Radical Thoughts

Going from Fear to Motivation with a Simple Shift

My motivation is insanely out of control lately. Something has switched inside after I dropped my negative thoughts and adopted these 22 radical thoughts that I share here. I am basking in the glorious aftermath of living on the other side of fear: in a constant state of motivation. Think it’s too good to be true? So did I, but so glad I was wrong!

Lately, my energy is to the roof. My focus is laser sharp. My productivity is highest it’s ever been. I feel a great sense of urgency and nobody can talk me out of the work I need to do.

I can’t stand the idea of resting and relaxing for a minute longer than necessary. I cannot keep count of all the ideas running through my head and what’s more, I can smell no fear in pursuing every single one of them.

No fear. Not anymore. I am done being scared. I am done making decisions with fear. I am finished half-committing to my goals. I am done fooling around with my dreams. What about you?

I’ve turned a corner and I am not looking back. It happened when I woke up one day only to realize I have been chasing an empty dream, an illusion of happiness, and a mere shadow of success. Have you turned that corner yet?

Failure is grand. Fear of failure a complete waste of time.

I’ve had it with fear of failure. I am weary of thoughts of failure, anticipation of failure, worries of failure and they have nothing to do with failure itself. Failure itself has been really good to me in life. In hindsight, of course – I was never that smart when it first knocked me off my feet.

Failure taught me whom to trust. Failure showed me the true colors of friends. Failure proved what I am not willing to give up in life. Failure brought my values to light. Failure opened doors which always led to better success. Failure connected me with better opportunities, brighter outcomes and greater results.

You see, failure has been so good to me and I bet it’s been really good to you too.

Fear of failure on the other hand has been nothing but a waste of precious time.

Enough already!

So you fail. Great. You tried something. You learned something. You risked something. In fact, who are you not to fail? Whoever achieved greatness without it?

Fail.

Fail again.

Fail often.

Fail shamelessly and proudly.

Fail until you get it out of the way so you make room for nothing but success. Success on your terms, in your words, by your definition.

Fear of success, anyone?

But then there is another fear lurking around. Another one you rarely hear about. The fear of massive success, of the incredible realization of your wildest ideas and your greatest desires.

You may crave success badly but tell me, do you not foster any fear from realizing your truest and greatest potential?

Do you not fear the thought of influencing people with your work, of touching the lives of hundreds or thousands of other human beings, of being a leader, a role model, an inspiration for others to follow?

Success is as a scary beast as failure – and both of these fears, you must conquer before you can step out of your mediocre achievements and do something really great with your life.

That’s where motivation comes in. Tap into yours. You are the source for your own motivation, you just need to wake it up! True motivation comes from within, this seemingly infinite well of motivation that rises from the pit of your belly and refuses to leave until you have taken notice of it. Tell me you have felt that before.

If yes, great. If no, then you are not listening. You are not hearing yourself. You are not following the rhythms of your heart. So let’s change that around with these 22 radical thoughts to help you move from fear to motivation.

From Fear to Motivation: 22 Radical Thoughts

You can start right here, right now. I will start all over with you too. First change the thoughts, then watch the actions follow suit.

1. Get vigilant. End the passive cycles.
2. Be awake at the wheel of your life.
3. Fight complacence. Fight it hard.
4. Reject boredom at the door. Never let it in. Not for a second.
5. Be madly in love with your life.
6. Be madly in love with you. That’s right. Let them call it vanity or selfishness. I call it the first rule of true happiness.
7. Find your purpose. Your real true purpose. If you can’t find it right away, please for heaven’s sake, don’t give up. It took me over two decades to find mine.
8. Find some ounce of meaning in what you do during the day. Please find a way to make this happen for you.
9. Stop sacrificing for others so much. Giving is fine. Sacrificing no!
10. Do something – anything – just for yourself. It takes knowing yourself to do something for yourself. Maybe do that first.
11. Remember to value the person you see in the mirror. It is the one person who stays with you through thick and thin, in loneliness and in the crowds, in darkness and in light. Hear me again: the only person! Make friends with yourself. Find solitude, not emptiness, in your own company.
12. Listen to no one who dares tell you what you can or cannot do. Turn a deaf ear to naysayers. Who are they to set limits for you and judge your potential? Who are they to judge your capacity for success or your tolerance for failure?
13. Stop abusing your body with alcohol and drugs and smoking. Are you not intoxicated enough on your raw health, on your life, on your freedom to living on your terms? Do you think you are invincible against the disasters awaiting you from abuse?
14. Stop blaming the industries, your parents, your children, your teachers, or the circumstances or the culture for your troubles. They don’t care and they shouldn’t. You should. Your life is in your own hands. It always has been.
15. Choose to see only the radically positive light in your life.
16. Take a risk. Not a stupid risk. Take responsible calculated risks to find out where your limits and boundaries lie. Then up the ante. Every day.
17. Step out of the boxes of society. In fact, crush the box altogether and rebuild it. Build your own box. In your own shape. Your own dimensions. Make it your art . Let it be your brand and your identity.
18. Live your motto. Live your values — and only yours. Let others’ values be just that – their values. And let their limitations be theirs too.
19. Never be a copycat. Try authenticity. Try originality. Try being exactly who you are meant to be. What worked for the massively successful individuals may not work for you.
20. Be different but essentially, be yourself, in fact, be the best version of you.
21. Be radically uncommon – but be smart, responsible, kind, sincere and genuine at the same time. Yes, it is possible to be all of that and massively successful to boot.
22. Be kind to yourself. This process takes time and you are worth every minute. Be kind. Believe. Don’t give up. Have patience.

The Mantra for Staying Motivated Daily

A mantra is a phrase or several phrases that you repeat to yourself to make thoughts and habits stick. Here’s a mantra for staying motivated. Just say to yourself:

• Today is the day that I drop the heavy weight of doubts and fears, bury them deep under the ground and take the rest of the journey without them.
• Today is the day that I take my dreams seriously (but myself not so much!).
• Today is the day that I make no exceptions to my values but plenty of room for failure, should it wish to show up.
• Today is the day that I refuse to touch any endeavor unless it is with my absolute best effort. Tomorrow, I will raise the bar higher.

If you like this post, check out my Kindle book: The 8 Pillars of Motivation.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Nov 4th, 2010 on Prolific Living. It has now been revamped, revised, and updated with fresh new content. Enjoy and spread the word!