Goal Achieving Part 2: Run Towards the Fear

By Walt F.J. Goodridge

Special to the Saipan Tribune
Originally published: Wednesday, September 5, 2007


The only way to take control of your life, raise your standard of living and move beyond merely surviving is to create your own unique product or service that you offer to increasing numbers of people in exchange for the things of value that you desire. This simple formula applies to countries as well as people. A self-sufficient economy has its own products or services of value to export to the world. Similarly, a self-sufficient individual has something of value to exchange in the global marketplace. That thing of value is based on your natural talent, skill, or interest—in other words, your passion!


"The realm of happiness awaits just beyond the zone of comfort."-W.G.

Step 1.

Before you read any further, I'd like to challenge you to make a very important list. I'd like you to list all the people you dislike, or who you think dislike you. Then list the projects you’ve been putting off, the people you’ve been meaning to call, but haven't, and anything else about which you've been procrastinating.

If, for example, you’ve been saying, "I want to start a blog, but I just don’t have the time,” or “I want to get a computer, but I’m not good at technical things,” or “I want to write a book, but I’m not a good writer," or, “I just don't like so and so person”, it doesn't matter the reason, just make it a thorough list. It's OK if you don't like Jamaicans, or people who write for newspapers, or vegetarians, it'll be our little secret, but just be honest with yourself and write them all down.


Step 2. Write your goals

Now, make a list of any goals you'd like to achieve in your life-personal, business, financial, spiritual, relationship goals-write them all down!

Now why am I doing this? Well, this coming Sunday, Sept 9 at 1:30pm, I'll be presenting a goal-achieving workshop as part of an event sponsored by “DJ” Rico Mondejar. Whether you attend the workshop or not, the following information will help you achieve your life's goals much faster.

Every goal represents (or should represent) something that lies beyond your usual realm of abilities. If your goals are not challenging you to move beyond yourself, then they are not really goals at all, but just activities with a time frame. Every good goal, therefore, exists beyond your comfort zone-into the realm of your fears. Let me give you an example of how fears work to hold you back from achieving the goals you envision.


All roads

Have you ever noticed that although you’ve made the best efforts to be exactly the opposite, say, of a person or type of person you don't care for, that one day you find that you’ve become the very thing you’d been trying hard not to be? Or, have you made efforts not to choose a particular type of person as a partner, and found that you’ve ended up in the same relationship yet again, with just a different face? Or do you find that you're constantly surrounded by those darned people from your list who you don't care for?

The reason this is so is that while your outward choices and actions may have appeared different, what remained the same was the inner identification with the thing you feared.

In other words, when you say, “I don’t want or want to be anything like ’this’,” you have given ’this’ the power. “This” then becomes the subject of your definition of yourself. Until you create an entirely new definition of who you know yourself to be (i.e. I am “that”), then all your actions, no matter how seemingly different, will be merely elaborate, creative and ingeniously disguised ways to end up in the same place....by all roads.

The more we fear a thing, the greater is its power over us, and the more control we give over to the very thing we fear. And every path based on fear knows only one destination. It will always lead to itself. All roads lead to the thing envisioned.

Our emotions give focus to our thoughts. And fear is nothing but another emotion that gives a charge to that upon which we dwell in our minds. The thing we focus on then becomes the goal we subconsciously program ourselves to create and achieve. Every thought is bound by the laws of creation to attract unto itself the very circumstances and people which will help it manifest.

The solution, therefore, is to run towards your fear. You’ve got to move in the very direction of the thing you fear. Once confronted, accepted and released, your fear can be left behind. And then beyond it you will find the new definition of yourself that you truly seek.


Back to your first list

Now remember that list you made in part 1? This is a very valuable list. It represents all your fears. Remember, in this life there’s always only fear and love as the ultimate motivators. So if you are disliking certain people, avoiding the judgment of others, feeling inadequate, procrastinating, or not calling, it's because of a fear that you will lose something, that you will fail, be ashamed, be ridiculed, or be hurt in some way. So, this is a list of the fears that are holding you back.

Here's the good news: this list is also a game plan, a strategy for getting your life to go in the direction you wish it to. Let me explain.


Everything is connected.

Imagine a circle that represents you and the boundaries you've set for yourself-in other words, your comfort zone. Everything that you're comfortable doing exists inside the circle, and everything that you're afraid of doing-all your fears-exist outside the circle. By running toward and through your fears, you emerge on the other side of the boundary of yourself that once existed, and the new you is now defined by a larger circle that encompasses more abilities and the fears that were once outside the zone, are now inside your comfort zone.

Any progress in any direction made in the conquest of your fears expands you as a person and has effects in other areas of your life that you cannot now imagine. It doesn't matter what the fear is. It doesn't matter if it appears to be connected to your goal or not. Everything is connected. Conquering your fear of public speaking, your fear of swimming, your fear of driving, your fear of cooking a meal for yourself, expands you as a person in all other areas of your life., and you'll find yourself more courageous in other areas as well.

In particular, embracing the people you dislike or who you think dislike you will open up new doors of opportunity for you. It's been said that if you dislike someone, it's really because they remind you of something about yourself that you don't like. So embracing and analyzing the flaws and faults you perceive in others is the best way for you to understand yourself and grow personally. Find ways to reach out to them, work with them and share common goals and ideas. Everything inside you might be screaming “no way!” right now. That's the fear shouting.

If you can find the courage to face those fears, meet them head on, and do the very thing that you fear the most, you will be amazed at how quickly your goals, in seemingly unrelated areas of your life will start to flow to you!


Everything is connected and all roads lead to you.

That which you fear becoming

that you flee from and despise

Is brought to life since fears

do not repel but magnetize


Your efforts to define yourself

as NOT this thing or that

Gives power to the very thing

you’re seeking to combat


You’ll often find in life it seems

no matter what you do

All choices based on fears

will bring those fears right back to you


A thing feared is empowered

then that thing assumes control

And all roads lead you there

because your fear becomes your goal


You never can outrun the fears

that live within your mind

Accept them first or else

by them you’ll always be defined


Confront the very thing you feel

will be your great undoing

Beyond it you’ll find freedom and the one road worth pursuing!

* * *

Until next time, remember, success is a journey, not a destination!-Walt



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