Fear, Not Money, is the Root of All Evil
When I look back on my childhood, the one, central emotion I remember more than any other is fear—not the fear of wild animals or cliff diving, but fears that were deeper and much less healthy. Fear of the unknown. Fear of people. Fear of failing. Fear of looking foolish. You name it, I was afraid of it.
When I was about twelve years old, my family took a vacation during spring break. The hotel had a big swimming pool and play area for kids, and my parents wanted me to join the other kids who were all laughing and playing and having a good time. But it scared the hell out of me, and I refused to go. I just waited in the car while they checked in the hotel, so terrified that the other kids might not like me or would make fun of my accent or think I was stupid. Fear was more or less shutting me off from an enjoyable existence.
Fear was the driving force in my life, in elementary school, in middle school, and on into high school. The only saving grace for me was that I was athletic and soon gained recognition as a local star in football and track. And in Texas, in the Friday Night Lights culture, being a jock on the high school football and track team gave me a mask to hide behind, something to use as a calling card to talk to girls or be accepted into social circles.
Coping with fear flushes out all our flaws, and somewhere along the line, I discovered that the one thing that made the fear temporarily go away was alcohol. The alcohol gave me confidence, so I could get drunk and dance with a pretty girl. I recall looking at the sky while intoxicated and thinking: “I’m going to do this for the rest of my life.”
Famous last words because that was, of course, complete and utter nonsense. My unwillingness to recognize the truth about my situation eventually ran its course, and I had to learn why I was afraid, where it came from, and how to respond effectively. That experience taught me many of the lessons that I can now share with people on the path to fitness, helping them conquer their fears, change their behavior, and enjoy long-term success.
What are you afraid of?
You may have been afraid to sign up for a fitness class because of all those “what ifs.” What if you were older than your classmates, more overweight, or unable to physically do the exercises. These are all perfectly normal and very common fears. Maybe you’re afraid of failing. You might have tried a popular diet program and experienced the exhilaration of hitting your goal, only to see the pounds and fat come back again when you slipped off the straight and narrow.
I can promise you that many people (including me) have felt everything you’re feeling about this journey to fitness. So, I’m asking you to put aside your fear and step outside your comfort zone for just 21 days. Forget about what might happen or how you might look or what has happened to you before. Find the strength to commit yourself to following the program for three weeks. Then, you’ll see how different you can feel.
As I said, it won’t necessarily be easy. The great paradox is that you must accept a bit of suffering in order to move through it. The idea that we as humans shouldn’t suffer is at the very foundation of why we suffer so much!
You’re not going to find chocolate cake as a reward or French fries as a treat or a glass of wine for unwinding in this program. What you will find are tips and missions that reduce the noise in your head. And healthy foods chosen specifically to keep you feeling full and energetic without spiking your blood sugar. Stay the course, buckle down, and breathe easy. We can do this together.
