Socrates said, "Courage is knowing what to fear." What does this mean to you?
Think back two years, and try to remember some of the things you were worried about. List as many as you can. How important did these worries turn out to be? Then list some of the things you're concerned about today. How do you think this list will look to you in two years?
What purpose does fear serve in your life? What benefits are you getting from feeling afraid? What areas of your life does fear keep you from changing? Write your responses to these three questions.
What are the five biggest mistakes you've ever made? What did you learn from them?
Why do you think many people are afraid of insects? Are you afraid of them? Why?
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." What does this sentence mean to you? Do you agree or disagree?
Do you know anyone who seems totally fearless about things that frighten you? What can you learn from that person?
If you got a letter with a return address from the Internal Revenue Service, would you feel fear as you opened it? List some return addresses that would frighten you, together with the reasons for your fear.
Someone once said that fear is really an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. What do you think this means? Do you agree? Are there any legitimate fears in your life? Describe them in writing, along with the reasons they seem valid. When you read over them, do they still seem as frightening?
Make a list of things that frightened you when you were a child. Why did they seem so frightening? Why do you see them differently today? Then make a list of things that seem frightening right now. How do you think your list will appear in ten or twenty years?
