Fear - The Demon Inside

Another book i just read was named "Make your bed" and was written by former
SEAL and Admiral William H. McRaven. I cannot recall exactly, why i bought
the book, since it mostly contains platitudes put on paper by someone suffering
from an inferiority complex, who needed something to prove to himself and never
reflected on his or the army's deeds overseas.

However i found one of his anecdotes pretty impressive, when he narrated that
while during SEAL training he had to perform a midnight swim in shark infested
waters outside San Diego. He was told not to show any fear, otherwise the Great
White shark will smell it, circle and eventually maim him, so to stay alive it is
mandatory to remain cool as a cucumber.

I suppose many people look back at a life of missed opportunities and fear has to
be blamed for that. They meet the love of their life and only have a splitsecond to
take action, but decide to remain silent out of fear to stutter or searching for words,
thus having lifelong regrets. Others never leave their comfort zone with the endless
routine, although traveling around the world is something everyone should have
experienced - too dangerous, too expensive, too this and that ...

I remember having played my 5-string banjo on stage in front of a pretty large crowd.
I was so nervous, my right thumb was trembling like crazy and how was i supposed
to play five hundred notes per minute in the right order with a shaking thumb ?
Somehow i got through some hot solos and drew a round of applause, but had not a
great time up there. So would i expose myself again to a similar situation, risking
of looking like a complete fool or German striker Frank Mill? Of course, everyone
performing in public accepts that risk, just wanting to entertain and after all a stage
can be the best place anywhere, when everything falls in place.

In Holland i once was sitting in a bar, when the local bully took aim at me, asking for
a fight. I gave him an earful and he tucked his tail between his legs and retreated.
Dudes like him thrive on fear and can't deal with counterwind.

Another example is an insurance company wanting to extort plenty of money. I refused
to pay and obviously struck a note, when they wilted quickly being used to obedience.
Now next week i will post something, what could have the consequence that my blog
will be shut down. So should i start to pussyfoot around and not write it ? Certainly not
and this blog is here to spread, what i consider the truth. Fear is not appropriate in
that matter. I do not consider myself a most courageous guy,but many times the lesson
was, that being fearless pays off.

McRavens famous speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxBQLFLei70&t=253s