Don't be afraid to share why you’re afraid

Tom Bilyeu, the co-founder of Quest Nutrition.

By Tim Kolodziej
EnspireU

I get it. It’s scary.

Doing anything worth anything always is.

Truth is, I get scared, too. Far too often than I’d like to admit.

(OK, I just admitted it.)

But here’s something cool, even though it might not make sense: I become more courageous when people I admire admit they are afraid sometimes.

Let me said that again: I become more courageous when people I admire admit they are afraid sometimes.

There’s strength in transparency.

There’s power in putting yourself out there.

There’s hope in humility.

Let me share a brief story about Tom Bilyeu. If you haven’t heard of him, there’s a good chance you’ve tasted one of his products. Mr. Bilyeu is the co-founder of Quest Nutrition, which makes the delicious bars and cookies you’ll find at your local grocer. He also hosts a popular podcast called “Impact Theory.”

There’s one more thing I should mention before we move on: His efforts have made him an influential figure in the business world, and a millionaire many times over.

And he still gets scared.

“Someone just asked me if I still get nervous when I speak. The answer is ‘yes.⁣’ That’s a far less cool story than if I never felt any fear, but the reality is that I do. ⁣But I never let that stop me.”

I absolutely LOVE that.

Short. Clear. Powerful.

He’s doing what he’s compelled to do to serve the world.
He experiences fear as he’s doing it.
He’s truthful when asked about it.
He doesn’t let it stop him.

His story has given me a new insight: We learn, earn, grow, and thrive at different levels, but there is a common theme: We’ll never share the same human EXPERIENCES, but we all share the human EXPERIENCE.

And fear happens to be a part of it.

We can’t shake it. But we can battle through it.

Even if — maybe especially if — we’re not always up for the fight.

*****

PS — Please take a moment to watch this brief video below. It’s a beautiful illustration for how we can make each other more courageous by sharing what some might view as a weakness.