let me tell you about fear
what does fear do? For me I know when I was younger I missed a significant number of opportunities I missed because I let fear take over and control me. I am a relationship builder, a seeker of challenges and continuous learner. What does that mean to me as an individual?
For me, I love talking to people, I love learning how to run marathons even though I never ran in any competitive sense, I love building apps(mobile, web, machine learning) even though I was a sociology major in undergrad , I love building businesses and solving problems for the underserved through technology. I would go so far as to say I love learning EVERYTHING. I can say these ideas now because I refused to let my fear own me.
I think back of all the times people reinforced fear in me, "how did you become a technology leader with a major in sociology?", "you weren't academically prepared for this institution", "we can't work on our resumes at work" or "don't take these projects so personally" which is then followed up in 30 days with "I don't believe you are passionate enough about this job".
some people might say "one day ben just said enough" but that's not true at all. I had to talk to people I had to be coached, mentored ask for help, ask for feedback, demand feedback, follow up with people and rely on my strengths. Growing and building is a daily process.
I also have to remind myself and be reminded that everything I have ever been really successful or passionate had a huge fear component. take the fear you have and learn to control it, shape it and own it.
