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Key points
- The opposite of fear is all about how you deal with it.
- You have to identify the situation before you can find fear's opposite.
- If fear is not analyzed, it can make the situation worse.
I’ve written about fear several times: how it is the most powerful motivator, how it can be used to manipulate people, how it can drive some people to seek power, and how it can establish lifelong limiting beliefs when we’re exposed to it as children. But what about the opposite of fear?
Discovering the Opposite of Fear Requires Identifying the Circumstances
Fear does not exist in a vacuum. There must be some environment or situation (which could be perception) that causes fear which we should consider when asking, “What is its opposite?” One such fear-inducing environment, for example, would be a charging lion that would strike terror in pretty much anyone. However, there are also varying levels of fear that are less conspicuous than terror that also exist, such as anxiety, uneasiness, apprehension, and panic.
When considering the opposite of fear, the first words that usually pop into people’s heads are "courage" or "bravery." Those who behave courageously can, however, still be afraid, and often are, but feel that their behavior is necessary because of a higher emotion, such as the desire to save the life of a loved one from a burning building. Therefore, courage cannot be the opposite of fear.
An observer with a lack of understanding might project a subjective assumption of courage on a person who is actually cool, calm, and composed. For example, think of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, who would pick up and hold the world’s deadliest snakes with aplomb.
If You're Still Afraid it's Not the Opposite
Some have said that faith is the opposite of fear. But, like courage, while you may have faith that someone or something will save you, it doesn’t mean you are not afraid until the danger abates or you are rescued.
Control is not the opposite of fear, although many political leaders think so (see my article: Fear vs. Power), who attempt to deal with their fear by controlling their environment and the people within it.
The Absence of Fear Does Not Come First
Others say it is calm, contentedness, happiness, or joy, that is the opposite of fear, but these things only come in the absence of fear, so they are not opposites. If you can be calm in the face of something that has frightened you, then you have already taken the preliminary steps which have removed your fear.
Some say stoicism represents the opposite of fear, but just because you can be indifferent to something, or suffer through something, does not mean that you are not afraid, but that you bear your fear, as your bear your suffering. Therefore stoicism cannot be the opposite of fear.
I've heard it said that denial is the opposite of fear, but denial only delays fear, fear still exists if the problem causing it is real. Do they mean by denial someone who doesn’t believe the dilemma exists that should cause them fear? If so, have they investigated it and reached a logical conclusion? Perhaps it’s not denial, but understanding. Perhaps the perception of denial is in fact ignorance and projection.
Could ignorance be the opposite of fear? No, ignorance is only bliss until something you don’t fathom, or weren’t aware of, scares you.
It's About How You Deal With Fear
The opposite of fear is knowledge and understanding. These begin with curiosity, which initiates an investigation, which leads to learning, which, in turn, creates knowledge and understanding. Steve Irwin didn’t just pick up the first venomous snake he saw, he studied their traits and characteristics, and learned about their strengths and weaknesses. He operated from a position of knowledge.
When something frightens you, a willingness to question things before accepting them, or jumping to conclusions, is the beginning of how you overcome fear. Courage and confidence, bravery and derring-do, come later. They come after research, examination, and analysis.
Failure to Ask Questions Can Make the Situation Worse
The problem with not analyzing fear is that when people become frightened, they will follow anyone who assures them that they can make them safe. This is a danger that has led many people to their doom. Politicians, the media, and advertisers know this and will take advantage of your fear if you are unwilling to question their authority.
Do you know someone who appears to be less fearful, or not fearful at all, when everyone else is terrified? Why is that? Are they ignorant? Stoics? Or deniers? Do they have knowledge and understanding?
Ask questions and free yourself from fear.
