This Weed Can Kill

Dandelions seem innocuous enough with their pretty yellow flowers and soft, fluffy head of seeds. Hidden behind this deceptively gentle appearance, however, lies a stone-cold killer. The taproot of the dandelion burrows deep. Its leaves lay flat and spread wide to choke out other plants and steal nutrients. The airborne seeds are distributed far, carried on the gentlest of breezes. Ok, so the dandelion is not good for the garden, but how is the so dangerous to entrepreneurs? As a metaphor for fear.

Fear is the underlying cause of almost all negative emotions, poor choices, and disappointing results. When you look closely, you will find fear behind anxiety (fear of the unknown), overwhelm (fear of insufficient resources), paralysis (fear of action or wrong action), shame (fear of being unworthy), jealousy (fear of loss), insecurity/low self-esteem (fear of not being good enough), etc. Sales experts know that people buy based on emotion. That is true, but the larger truth is that people ACT based on emotion. Buying is simply one manifestation of that truth.

Like the dandelion, fear burrows deep into our psyches, then disguises itself as something else (negative emotions or poor results). We are tricked into focusing on trying to fix THOSE instead of uprooting the fear behind them.

Fear is such a strong, primal driver that it overshadows other thoughts and emotions. It is so hard-wired into our brains that it creates a physiological response (the acute stress response aka “fight, flight, or freeze”) which releases adrenaline and other hormones. Not only does this hone our awareness, improve our physical reaction time, and give us a boost of energy, but it also dulls our cognitive skills. In other words, we react quicker but can’t think.

And fear spreads. Once we are operating out of fear, a certain paranoia begins. Everything becomes a potential source of fear, each with its own taproot to begin digging into our minds, creating a new fear-habit.

Fear is also the antithesis to love. You can’t experience both simultaneously. If you fear the wrath of your spouse, you will not be able to express any love for them. If you fear for your child’s future, you will not be able to guide them well. Fear focuses us on the negatives, diverting our ability to solve problems.

Rather than “fear the dandelion”, tend (love) the garden. Focus your mind on the positive. Shift into a powerful state. Choose a new underlying belief that is NOT based on fear. If you struggle to do so, check out MindSetFree.