Your Mind Thinks You're In Danger, even when you're not

Your "fight or flight" response is out of whack - and unless you correct it, you will be controlled by it.

Modern man doesn't face anything nearly as dangerous as our primitive ancestors had to face.

There are no bears to run and hide from, but your mind still tries to protect you from uncomfortable situations regardless.

Every time you venture into the unknown, your mind still thinks your in danger. So it does what it has been biologically programmed to do. It steers you away from the uncomfortable, and back into your comfort zone.

The problem is that your mind cannot tell what's dangerous, and what isn't. Whether it's a job interview, or asking a girl to the dance, your mind still uses the outdated biologically programmed "fight or flight" response it has always used.

So the blood rushes into your arms and legs so you can retreat as quick as possible. But you don't need adrenaline to ask a girl to the dance. You don't need adrenaline to push through uncomfortable situations. You just need to do them.

Nothing inside any book can teach your mind how to act in these uncomfortable situations. Your mind needs to see "firsthand" that the situation is not dangerous. And the only real way to train your mind to know this, is to actually face your fears.

Your "bears" are any uncomfortable situation you repeatedly run from. Your bears are the the change in the status quo.

This is why the personal development industry is so massive. People keep reading book after book on how to overcome their fears, but it won't help them. This information MUST come from real "visceral" experiences - and NOT second hand knowledge passed down from others.

Your mind learns best from experiences. You need to teach your mind uncomfortable situations are NOT dangerous. No amount of reading can do this.

Sure, reading positive material can get you in the right frame of mind to tackle difficult situations, but unless you actually face them, your mind will treat them as dangerous.


A great example of this is an experiment I took on 5 months ago.

I decided to take a cold shower for 30 days. The first cold shower was torture. My mind "as expected" thought I was in danger. So, it did everything in its power to get me out of the shower. I didn't. I stead the course.

It wasn't nice that's for sure. But I made a commitment to stick it out for 30 days.


What I noticed really opened my eyes. A lot!!

You see. I've now taken 137 cold showers. Every cold shower feels just as cold as when I first took one.


Here's the important part...

The cold showers still feel just as cold as the first one I took. Just this morning, my body was feeling numb because the water was so fricking cold. But my mind doesn't react anymore.

It's actually kinda weird. I can feel how cold the water is, but at the same time I'm not bothered in the slightest by it. Imagine someone sticking a sharp object into your body. You can feel the pain, but it doesn't bother you at all. Something like that anyway


Think about this:

If person "A' takes a cold shower for the first time. His or her mind will do whatever it takes to get them out of the shower. Their body will tense up. Their breathing will escalate. Their mind will be in a state of panic.

If person "B" takes a cold shower for 30 days. His or her mind will NOT react at all, even though the water is just as cold. The body will feel the cold, but the mind won't have any reaction. Body temperature stays the same. Breathing is relaxed, and the mind is completely calm.

My point for this post is to help you realize that unless you face your fears, your mind will trick you at every turn, and will do whatever it takes to get you away from danger...even if there's no danger in sight.

People wonder why they don't pursue their dreams. I'm saying it's because their mind won't let them. Their mind is controlling how they feel. What they perceive. It's creating stories "in the shadows" to keep you safe. It does this without you even knowing it.

Listen. There are no great tragedies going to happen if you face your fears. Nothing bad happens once you pass through those uncomfortable situations. But unless you do, your mind will regard every uncomfortable situation as being dangerous...and put you straight back into your box.

Most adults have been listening to their doubtful minds all their lives. They avoid uncomfortable situations, and as a result, their lives are unexceptional.

Take a cold shower for 30 days. And if you decide it's pointless, and can serve no purpose, ask yourself WHO MADE THAT DECISION. You, or your mind? I can tell you right now, that it's your mind stopping you, because there are NO consequences for taking on this challenge. If you don't do it, it's because your mind is in control of YOU.

Start to go against the grain.

Start taking on challenges.

Don't be afraid to challenge yourself.

You need to feel the fear...and do it anyway.

Soon, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.

Have a good one.