Why The Fear Factor Is Killing Your Mojo

The wildebeest migration across the Mara River is a spectacle to behold for the nature-loving tourist. This phenomenon affords us a chance to witness all else save for fear and bravery as we know it in the human sense. We witness a response to survival instincts.

The expectant crocodiles care less about why the herd needs to cross the river, they see food coming to them. For the grass eaters, there is safety in numbers and once the fear factor is neutralised enough by the surging multitude, the urge to reach abundant food supplies across the river takes over. And the plunge to greener pastures, which could unfortunately for some, becomes the dive into the unforgiving jaws of death, is underway.

But the fear under discussion is that of finding success in the human world. Some go after their goals in good time, while others get pushed around by the harsh realities of life.

Within an ecosystem, everyone knows their place. Those fighting to fit in, set aside their fears to focus on mainstreaming themselves. Those who cannot muster the courage to work through the challenges remain in the shadows. And between them and success is the black hole of fear.

People living in fear display no mojo. They are as colourless as they are tasteless and rudderless, and are hardly audible. Most fearful people know what must be done to be successful, but they fail to take the first step because there is a likelihood that their efforts may bring forth further failure.

In today's world, new ways of getting things done are emerging and the hitherto bravest chaps are becoming the most fearful. They are getting wrongfooted by emergent technologies that are elbowing away their fixed ways into obsolescence. The fear of starting afresh or aligning to these new ways is killing their mojo.

We must reinvent ourselves if we have to conquer the challenges of the day. When the fundamentals around us change, we must gear up bravely and get to the desired action immediately.

A young man in village X was undoubtedly the stud around whom many girls silently wished for his attention. The lad had no competition and for several years, the village girls fought to date him.

Without any warning, a huge manufacturing company set up shop in the area, and with this came several employees and very eligible managers.

These managers quickly found favour with the girls and the local village stud was now a distant thought in the girls minds. He just could not compete for he lacked the papers needed to secure employment.

Soon, most of these girls got married to the managers and the former stud was lucky to make the cut to any of the guest lists.

Our poor boy, James, agreed to attend college for four years after which he earned good qualifications.

These papers enabled him to find employment at this company that had brought his social troubles to an unenviable crescendo.

Slowly but steadily, James made it to management and eventually found favour with the village girls who had come of age many years later.

James took the challenge in his stride and became a better version of his old self. He set his fears aside and took the bull by the horns. He could have sulked and turned into a bitter loser.

Do not become the unfortunate wildebeest that made the crocodile healthier. Focus on the greener pastures. Do away with fear.