Many times we look at failure and see utter ruin. We’re homeless, starving, humiliated and abandoned by our friends and family. All from not having a project ship on time. Or getting fourth place in the Olympics. 

Fear has caused us to overemphasize the doom that awaits us failing, so we often just don’t try. We think it’s the devil we know versus the devil you don’t know, but this might be our brain’s greatest trick. Often the devil we know is usually worse, but we still prefer it because our brains are wired to fight uncertainty, and embracing the unknown takes a lot more energy. 

The fear of making a life change that you’ve been pondering might be great, but let’s get clear that it’s not some wall of flames or a death laser-powered force field. It’s a line in the dirt that you drew yourself, and you can always choose to step forward and cross.