There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.
—Paulo Coelho (b.1947) Brazilian Songwriter, Novelist
If everybody feels fear when approaching something totally new in life, yet so many are out there “doing it” despite the fear, then we must conclude that fear is not the problem.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
“Come to the edge,” he said. They said, “We are afraid.” “Come to the edge,” he said. They came. He pushed them … and they flew!.
—Guillaume Apollinaire (1880–1918) Italian-born French Poet, Playwright
The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; that which it loves, and also that which it fears. It reaches the height of its cherished aspirations. It falls to the level of its unchastened desires – and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.
—James Allen (1864–1912) British Philosophical Writer
No wonder you feel fearful—victims are powerless!
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.
—Ambrose Hollingworth Redmoon (James Neil Hollingworth) (1933–96) American Writer
Evil is uncertain in the same degree as good, and for the reason that we ought not to hope too securely, we ought not to fear with too much dejection.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
No one loves the man whom he fears.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
When we stop opposing reality, action becomes simple, fluid, kind, and fearless.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
The kind of power I’m talking about leaves you free, since you don’t expect the rest of the world to fill you up. It’s not the ability to get someone else to do what you want them to do. It’s the ability to get yourself to do what you want to do.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Nothing is so much to be feared as fear.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Don’t try to be unafraid. That is impossible. Rather, go ahead while being afraid. That is the entire secret for abolishing fear. The Supermind teaches us to have no self-concern at all. Whatever happens to you, act as though it happened to someone else.
—Vernon Howard (1918–92) American Spiritual Teacher, Philosopher
It is fairly predictable, however, that when you’ve finally mastered something and gotten rid of the fear, you will feel so good that you will decide that there is something else out there you want to accomplish, and guess what! The fear begins again as you prepare to meet a new challenge.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Taking responsibility means never blaming anyone else for anything you are being, doing, having, or feeling.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
You always have two choices: your commitment versus your fear.
—Sammy Davis, Jr. (1925–90) American Singer, Musician, Dancer, Actor
Considering how dangerous everything is, nothing is really very frightening.
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) American Writer
Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
We are largely the playthings of our fears. To one, fear of the dark; to another, of physical pain; to a third, of public ridicule; to a fourth, of poverty; to a fifth, of loneliness … for all of us, our particular creature waits in ambush.
—Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (1717–97) English Art Historian, Man of Letters, Politician
There are only two forces that unite men—fear and interest.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Fear follows crime, and is its punishment.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
She knows the answer to her question “what if?” The answer is: “I’ll handle it!”
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
See if you can go a week without criticizing anyone or complaining about anything.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
I know I’ll handle it. I have nothing to worry about.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
A panic is a sudden desertion of us, and a going over to the enemy of our imagination.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed.
—Hunter S. Thompson (1937–2005) American Journalist
The craven’s fear is but selfishness, like his merriment.
—John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–92) American Quaker Poet, Abolitionist
If your desires be endless, your cares and fears will be so, too.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Fearlessness comes with the birth of this new understanding: The only reason life changes as it does is to reveal the secret Goodness underlying those same changes.
—Guy Finley
Every man, through fear, mugs his aspirations a dozen times a day.
—Brendan Behan (1923–64) Irish Poet, Novelist, Playwright
The secret in handling fear is to move yourself from a position of pain to a position of power. The fact that you have the fear becomes irrelevant.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
When you run in fear, it’s square into the wall.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
Most fears cannot withstand the test of careful scrutiny and analysis. When we expose our fears to the light of thoughtful examination they usually just evaporate.
—Jack Canfield (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
FEAR is an acronym in the English language for “False Evidence Appearing Real”
—Neale Donald Walsch (b.1943) American Spiritual Writer
All fear is bondage.
—Unknown
Impeccability of the word can lead you to personal freedom, to huge success and abundance; it can take away all fear and transform it into joy and love.
—Miguel Angel Ruiz (b.1952) Mexican Spiritualist Author
Courage leads starward, fear toward death.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
When our actions do not, our fears make us traitors.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Fear is a question: What are you afraid of, and why?. Just as the seed of health is in illness, because illness contains information, our fears are a treasure house of self-knowledge if we explore them.
—Marilyn Ferguson (1938–2008) American Author, Editor, Orator
You cannot run away from a weakness. You must sometimes fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
A perfect faith would lift us absolutely above fear.
—George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish Novelist, Lecturer, Poet
True success is overcoming the fear of being unsuccessful.
—Paul Sweeney
I steer my bark with hope in the head, leaving fear astern. My hopes indeed sometimes fail, but not oftener than the forebodings of the gloomy.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
The passion to get ahead is sometimes born of the fear lest we be left behind.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Moderation? It’s mediocrity, fear, and confusion in disguise. It’s the devil’s dilemma. It’s neither doing nor not doing. It’s the wobbling compromise that makes no one happy. Moderation is for the bland, the apologetic, for the fence-sitters of the world afraid to take a stand. It’s for those afraid to laugh or cry, for those afraid to live or die. Moderation…is lukewarm tea, the devil’s own brew.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
The truth is:If you knew you could handle anything that came your way, what would you have to fear?The answer is: NOTHING!
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.
—Jane Austen (1775–1817) English Novelist
Things done well and with care, exempt themselves from fear.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
He who strikes terror in others is himself continually in fear.
—Claudian (c.370–c.404 CE) Roman Poet