Fear and the Success Mindset
Generally I write about public relations and marketing, about tools that can help build a successful business. But you can have the best tools available and if your approach or mindset is skewed, you’ll never reach your goal. During tough economic times, fear is omnipresent and we can either give into it, or we can turn it inside out and move forward. For example, by 1933 the depression had reached its depth; in his first inaugural address, Franklin D. Roosevelt outlined in broad terms how he hoped to govern. It was in that speech that he told Americans that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Fast forward to September 2008 when President George W. Bush in an address to the nation, warned that “
America can slip into a major panic.” Granted Bush had an agenda that he was hoping to push through Congress, still, two very different approaches to grave economic problems. One speech focused on hope and faith the other on fear.
Personally, I’ll go with the former. A real leader doesn’t lead by fear and true success never comes from it. Fear is a strong motivator. The media effectively uses it to drive ratings and politicians routinely use it to drive voters. But, whereas fear has its uses (you don’t want to try driving down a cliff without breaks, or walk into the middle of a gun battle), when it comes to true motivation you need to look elsewhere. Success is a mindset, and fear just doesn’t fit the bill. Sure, you want to be cautious, there will always be some butterflies, some anxiety, when striving to build a business, or launching a career, but if fear is your sole motivator, you’ve already lost, because by definition, even if you become a billionaire, you can’t be a success. Who defines success as leading a wealthy, opulent, fearful life? So, pick another motivator. You have quite a choice, hope, faith, excitement, courage, joy, belief in yourself and others – they can all take you where you want to go. Pick one. Pick them all. Okay, now, get to work and launch that PR campaign.
