A swirling mix of nerves and excitement coursed through me as I waved my family goodbye and the sliding doors closed behind me at Melbourne airport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I was 21 and, armed with little more than a backpack and some travelers’ checks (remember those?), I was embarking on a yearlong around-the-world adventure. It was one of my first plane flights so to say I was a \u2018green behind the ears\u2019 traveler understates how green! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The year that followed held many \u2018adventures.\u2019 Some fun. Some not-so-fun. Yet that experience, and my many adventures since, have taught me that life\u2019s most worthwhile endeavors \u2013 whether it be exploring the world, pursuing a big goal, or sharing your deepest self with another \u2013 require breaking ranks with our comfort zone and taking the very actions our fear would have us avoid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, not all fear is bad. If our brains weren\u2019t exquisitely adapted to alert us to potential dangers and protect us from injury, we wouldn\u2019t be here now. It\u2019s just that for most of human history we didn\u2019t live in a digital fear economy engineered to stoke insecurity and heighten our perception of vulnerability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So my reason for writing this now (and for doing my recent TEDx talk below) is not to encourage you to throw caution to the wind. Rather it\u2019s to invite you to reflect on where you may be letting your fear of what you don\u2019t<\/em> want<\/em> keep you from taking the very actions that would move you toward more of what you do<\/em> want<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More connection. More influence. More contentment. More peace. More impact. More joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n