Susan Jeffers

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

1. IDEA 1

   Fear is part of growth

   Jeffers, a psychologist, argues that fear is a normal part of trying anything new. She believes people should act despite fear rather than waiting for it to disappear. In her view, waiting for fear to go away keeps people stuck.

2. IDEA 2

   Fear has three levels

   Jeffers describes surface fears, deeper fears of the ego such as rejection, and a basic fear that one cannot handle what happens. In her account, the deepest level is the one that most strongly drives the other two.

3. IDEA 3

   The deepest fear can be faced

   Jeffers argues that the root fear is believing you cannot cope. If people trust they can handle things, fear shrinks. In her view, a person who believes they can handle whatever comes feels less afraid of any particular outcome.

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