Joe gives fear two possible meanings, and the first job is to sense which one you’re in. Fear is either excitement without the breath, or it’s a signal that something needs taking care of.
“Fear is excitement without the breath, or it’s a signal that there’s something that you need to take care of or a way you need to take care of yourself.”
If the fear shows up before something new and alive — getting on stage, raising money, doing something you’ve never done — it’s most likely excitement. The move there is to breathe and feel into it, letting it become “I’m excited,” so the energy carries you into the activity rather than freezing you. The fear is fuel once you add breath.
If instead the fear arises around a genuine decision where you’re not sure which way to go, the move is different: pause, breathe, and ask what the fear is pointing to. “How do I take care of myself here, or my company, or this situation?” In that case the fear is a signal flagging a change you need to make or a way you need to protect yourself.
Same sensation, two readings — and the practice is to distinguish them so you can either breathe the excitement open or follow the signal to its action.
Related Concepts
- Fear is excitement without the breath
- Every emotion is a signal pointing toward an action or a need
- Breathing into anxiety to enjoy it turns it into excitement
- Anxiety is sometimes excitement that isn’t being felt all the way
- Anxiety is often repressed excitement
- Grounded excitement signals readiness; ungrounded excitement covers anxiety