Don't Let Your Fears Keep You Poor

What is the first impression we have upon hearing the word fear? Most likely, we think of it as a word that describes a feeling we all do not like to experience. And rightly it is, for even the dictionary describes it mostly as a word filled with negative emotions.

In this chapter, we shall make an in-depth analysis of what fear is really all about when it comes to creating wealth; its good side and its bad side.

Different people have different kinds of fear. Fear of speaking in public, fear of heights, fear of enclosed places, fear of being alone, fear of dark places, fear of being in a doctor's or dental office, fear of spiders and other insects - we can enumerate countless more.

Fear is the biggest deterrent to financial success. Suppress fear and your money-making mind turns into a gold mine. A word of caution: Being wealthy does not necessarily solve the problem of fear. Sometimes, it even aggravates the matter, because this time, it is fear of losing the money that bothers the wealthy. Learn to manage and control fear.

Many people who have money problems fear losing money so much that they are actually aggravating their problems by concentrating too much on them. They can't think of any solution to their dilemmas because their thoughts are pre-occupied with the terror of paying insurmountable bills. Instead of worrying about their problem, they should shift their focus to a different perspective, even for just a few minutes. They should take some time to relax and re-energize their brains so they can be more capable of finding the right solution. They should set their problems aside for even just a few minutes each day, in order to allow their minds to come up with possible solutions.

Fear also has its good side. Fear prevents us from getting hurt, physically and emotionally. That little fear that is inherent in us is actually good for us. It prevents us from being too aggressive. It makes us think before we act. Action after thinking is definitely better than action without thinking.

This little fear is similar to fats in our body. Too much fat in our body is not good for our health. A little fat helps to keep us warm in cold weather. In the movies, there won't be any good guys if it weren't for the bad guys.

We kept emphasizing little in fear and we must keep it that way because once it starts to get big, we're in real trouble.

So how do we control fear from getting big without totally losing it? How do we keep fear within manageable and usable level so we have control over it instead of the other way around?

To an average employee, fear of losing a job makes him/her get up every morning to go to work. This is fear controlling the person. This is the reason most people stay in the rat race.

To the poor and middle class, the fear of losing money makes them cringe to take risks, even calculated risks which the rich usually take. Sometimes, they never realize that they already lost the moment they backed out from an opportunity. And if this keeps on going, they'll never get rich.

Fear leads to poverty. It prevents financial creativity in our minds to the point that ignorance sets in. When creativity (be it financial or not) does not occupy the mind, the mind is in a state of emptiness. It doesn't remain empty for long, so ignorance sets in. And when ignorance sets in, bigger problems start to set in as well because our mind is in disarray. Unconsciously, we become more greedy.

Let us explore greed further. I think you will agree that a high degree of greed can lead into trouble. Too much greed clouds our thoughts but a little, just a little greed may do us good. A little greed can overcome the obstacles that draw us away from financial security. A little greed can cure laziness. Without that little greed, our desire to have something better and to improve our lives financially could be beyond reach. Progress will hardly be attained.

If you will notice, most if not all of the negative traits and emotions in humans can lead us into trouble and financial distress, if their level is higher than our level of thinking. If we keep them from dominating our mind, we are in good hands. And to make this possible, we need to gather enough courage or fortitude within us, which will be the basis or backbone of our action towards financial security. Practice in small ways and gradually improve to bigger activities.

To suppress the fear of losing money, the excitement of winning must prevail. We must have the burning desire and the passion to make it happen. To bring up that burning desire, we must think of the great benefits that money will bring. What will I do or what can I do when I become rich? Start by recalling and making a picture in your mind of the things you would like to do if you have the money for it. Concentrate first on the good things it will bring to you and your loved ones, perhaps helping a brother or sister finish college, going on a cruise in the Carribean if you love to travel (traveling is educational), or giving a motorized wheel chair for a poor crippled uncle. Acts of care and concern, not only for oneself and family, but to others as well, ignites passion and desire. It puts your creative mind to work. Subconsciously, you have suppressed fear. Put your thoughts into action by making big but realistic and detailed step-by-step plans.

Remember, that all these excitements must be within the tolerable limits of your thoughts, so your reasonable and creative thinking could have full command of your actions.