Book: Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

"Feel the Fear... and Do It Anyway" is a self-help book by Susan Jeffers that aims to empower readers to overcome their fears and live more fulfilling lives. The core message, as highlighted in the title, is that fear is a natural part of life and doesn't need to be a barrier to action. The book provides dynamic techniques and concepts for transforming fear, indecision, and anger into power, action, and love. The excerpts provided lay the groundwork for understanding the nature of fear, the power within oneself, and practical strategies for moving from a state of pain and paralysis to one of power and proactive engagement with life.

Main Themes and Important Ideas

1. The Universality and Nature of Fear:

• Fear is presented as a common human experience, affecting everyone regardless of their background or circumstances. The introduction lists various common fears, emphasizing that "Fear seems to be epidemic in our society."
• Jeffers distinguishes between "Level 1 Fears" (those that "happen," like aging or natural disasters) and those "Requiring Action" (like public speaking or making decisions).
• A key idea is that underlying many fears is a lack of trust in oneself to handle whatever happens: "WHATEVER HAPPENS TO ME, GIVEN ANY SITUATION, I CAN HANDLE IT!"

2. The Power Within and Personal Empowerment:

• The book emphasizes that individuals possess an incredible amount of inner power: "power to love, power to succeed, power to help the world in your own special way."
• True power is defined as power within the self, including control over perceptions, reactions, self-growth, joy creation, action, and love. This is contrasted with manipulative external power driven by fear and a lack of inner strength.
• Jeffers encourages readers, particularly women, to embrace their inner power, stating, "A self-assured woman who is in control of her life draws like a magnet." She asserts that "love and power go together."

3. The Pain-to-Power Chart and Taking Action:

• The "Pain-to-Power Chart" is introduced as a tool to visualize one's progress in overcoming fear and moving towards empowerment. The act of creating and using the chart is itself a form of taking action, which is deemed "VERY POWERFUL!"
• Moving from pain to power involves consciously deciding to take actions that lead to a more empowered state. Readers are encouraged to ask themselves, "Is this action moving me to a more powerful place?"

4. The Importance of Language and Mindset:

• The book highlights the impact of vocabulary on one's sense of power. Phrases like "I can't" and "I should" are identified as disempowering, while "I won't" and "I could" emphasize choice and control.
• Taking responsibility for one's life, including not blaming others or oneself, is crucial for moving towards power. Jeffers states, "Taking responsibility means never blaming anyone else for anything you are being, doing, having, or feeling." Similarly, "Taking responsibility means not blaming yourself."
• The concept of the "Chatterbox," the internal negative voice, is introduced as a source of fear and victimhood. Recognizing and replacing this voice with a loving one is essential.

5. Expanding the Comfort Zone:

• Readers are encouraged to "Take a risk a day—one small or bold stroke that will make you feel great once you’ve done it" to widen their comfort zone.
• Each time one steps outside their comfort zone, they become more powerful, leading to increased confidence and a greater capacity to handle fear. Jeffers cautions against physically dangerous or harmful risks, emphasizing those that build self-worth.

6. The No-Lose Model of Decision Making:

• Jeffers challenges the traditional "No-Win Model" of decision making, which is characterized by fear and paralysis.
• The "No-Lose Model" proposes that all decisions offer opportunities for learning and growth, regardless of the outcome. "There was no right or wrong decision, just different ones."
• The analogy of being a "lifetime student at a large university" is used to illustrate that every experience is a valuable lesson.

7. The Whole Life Concept and Commitment:

• The "Whole Life" is presented as a grid representing various important areas of life (e.g., relationship, work, friends, contribution). A balanced and full grid reduces dependence on any single area for fulfillment, thus mitigating the fear of loss.
• Commitment to being fully present and engaged in each area of life, even temporary situations, is emphasized. "Commitment doesn’t mean that it has to last forever, but while you are there, commit yourself 100%."

8. Saying Yes to Your Universe:

• This concept, inspired by Janet Zuckerman, encourages readers to accept whatever happens in life with a "yes" attitude instead of resistance. "Whatever happens to you in life, just nod your head up and down, instead of shaking it side to side. Just say yes instead of no."
• Saying yes doesn't mean avoiding pain, but accepting it as part of life without feeling like a victim. It also implies positive action and belief in the possibility of change. "SAYING YES MEANS GETTING UP AND ACTING ON YOUR BELIEF THAT YOU CAN CREATE MEANING AND PURPOSE IN WHATEVER LIFE HANDS YOU."

9. The Power of Giving and Contribution:

• Giving and contributing to others is presented as a powerful way to diminish fear and enhance self-worth. "YOU MUST BECOME WHAT YOU WANT TO ATTRACT. BE THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WOULD WANT TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH."
• This includes giving thanks, information, and support without expectation of return. The concept of "I count" is linked to the ability to give authentically.
• Creating a "Book of Abundance" to focus on the positive aspects of life is suggested to increase awareness of existing abundance and reduce feelings of scarcity.

10. Connecting with the Higher Self:

• The book introduces the concept of the "Higher Self" (also referred to as Inner Self, Superconscious, etc.) as a source of positive emotions like love, peace, creativity, and confidence.
• Operating from the Higher Self leads to a joyful and abundant life devoid of fear, in contrast to the fear-producing "Chatterbox."
• Readers are encouraged to become experts at listening to their Higher Self through practices like affirmations, positive self-talk, and guided visualization.

11. Practical Techniques and Exercises:

• The excerpts include several practical exercises, such as listing payoffs for staying stuck, exploring alternative reactions, using the Pain-to-Power Chart, practicing the Pain-to-Power Vocabulary, expanding the comfort zone, analyzing decisions using the No-Lose Model, and creating a Whole Life grid with specific goals.
• Guided visualization is presented as a tool to experience a state of fearlessness and power in relation to one's goals.

Notable Quotes

• "You must feel the fear . . . and do it anyway."
• "WHATEVER HAPPENS TO ME, GIVEN ANY SITUATION, I CAN HANDLE IT!"
• "ACTION IS VERY POWERFUL!"
• "Angels fly because they take themselves lightly."
• "I can’t’ implies you have no control over your life, whereas ‘I won’t’ puts a situation in the realm of choice."
• "Taking responsibility means never blaming anyone else for anything you are being, doing, having, or feeling."
• "Taking responsibility means not blaming yourself."
• "YOU’RE NOT A FAILURE IF YOU DON’T MAKE IT; YOU’RE A SUCCESS BECAUSE YOU TRY."
• "There was no right or wrong decision, just different ones."
• "Whatever happens as a result of your decision, you’ll handle it!"
• "So the path from here to where we want to be starts with an error, which we correct, which becomes the next error, which we correct and that becomes the next error, which we correct. So the only time we are truly on course is that moment in the zigzag when we actually cross the true path."
• "Commitment doesn’t mean that it has to last forever, but while you are there, commit yourself 100%. By doing this, the quality of your life will improve 100%."
• "SAY YES TO YOUR UNIVERSE."
• "Whatever happens to you in life, just nod your head up and down, instead of shaking it side to side. Just say yes instead of no."
• "SAYING YES MEANS GETTING UP AND ACTING ON YOUR BELIEF THAT YOU CAN CREATE MEANING AND PURPOSE IN WHATEVER LIFE HANDS YOU."
• "The only time you will fear anything is when you say no and resist the universe."
• "Security is not having money; it’s knowing you can do without it."
• "This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one..."
• "If you listen to the Chatterbox, your experience of life is fear-producing, and you stop yourself from expanding. If you listen to the Higher Self, your experience of life is joyful and abundant and devoid of fear."
• "Every organism has one and only one central need in life, to fulfill its own potentialities."

Conclusion

The excerpts from "Feel the Fear... and Do It Anyway" introduce a comprehensive approach to understanding and overcoming fear. Susan Jeffers emphasizes the universality of fear but offers a hopeful message that it does not have to dictate one's life. By cultivating inner power, taking conscious actions, shifting mindset and language, expanding comfort zones, embracing a "no-lose" perspective on decisions, committing fully to life's various aspects, saying "yes" to the universe, practicing generosity, and connecting with one's Higher Self, individuals can move from a place of fear and pain to one of empowerment and joy. The book provides practical tools and exercises to facilitate this transformation, encouraging readers to actively engage in the process of becoming "fear-less."

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