Monday Memo| Detail No.145| March 10, 2025

Fear is a cunning thief. It sneaks in, plants doubt, and convinces you that you’re not ready. It whispers that failure is inevitable, that you will embarrass yourself, that it’s better to stay where it’s safe. But safety often comes at a cost—missed opportunities, unrealized potential, and dreams that never see the light of day. What if fear wasn’t a warning to stop but a sign that you’re on the edge of something important?

Fear thrives in uncertainty, feeding off the unknown. But the truth is, you have already conquered so much. Think about the moments you doubted yourself yet pushed forward anyway. The first day at a new job. The time you spoke up in a room filled with intimidating people. That risk you took, even with shaking hands. Fear didn’t stop you then, and it doesn’t have to now.

Many wait for fear to disappear before they act, but the bravest people move despite it. Growth happens when you acknowledge fear but refuse to let it dictate your choices. What’s something you’ve avoided because it made you uncomfortable? This week, lean into that discomfort. Apply for that position, start that passion project, have that difficult conversation. Your next level is on the other side of this fear, but you have to be willing to push past it.

Fear will try to tell you that failure is a verdict—that if you don’t succeed immediately, it confirms your worst doubts. But failure isn’t proof that you’re not good enough. It’s evidence that you’re trying. That you are learning. That you are stretching beyond limits. Every person who has ever achieved something remarkable has faced rejection, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty. The difference is, they kept going.

Your fear does not define you. Your actions do. This week, take one step toward something that scares you. Not because you have no fear, but because you refuse to let it win. Fear loses its grip the moment you move forward anyway.