About this quote

You don't have to stop feeling fear to act; you can build habits that keep it from running your life. Start by naming the fear and noticing what your body does, then pick one small action that goes against that pull. Do that again until the action feels ordinary, and the feeling of being held back will shrink. Ask yourself who you'd be if fear stopped choosing for you, and take one clear step today that answers that question.

When to use it

• Before my big client pitch I told myself out loud 'I'm nervous', rehearsed the first minute, and then started, and my voice stayed steady.
• At my thesis defense I admitted I felt scared, took three slow breaths, and read the first slide; after that the rest felt doable.
• When I signed up for my first marathon I was terrified of not finishing, so I promised to run one easy mile each week, and that tiny habit built my confidence.
• I wanted to ask my partner for more space, so I named my fear of rejection, then requested one quiet night a week, and the conversation went better than I feared.