Taking council from someone else's fear

courage fear freedom

It's one thing to take council from your own fear -- not to the point or paralysis, but at least to the point of consideration. After all, your own fear has the good intention of keeping you alive (and you can reason with it, assuring it that you're safe and good to go). 

But what about when we take council from other people's fear? This is what we're doing when we make decisions based on what we think someone else's opinion will be. The thing is, what they say about us -- either to our face or behind their back -- is a reflection of how they feel about themselves, rather than what is true about us. So letting their opinions (and especially their fears) guide our decisions and shape our lives is a super faulty strategy.

Better to consider and reason with our own fears, let people have their own fears, then courageously accept the fact that what we're making is not for everyone; and that's completely okay. 

 

"Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from." -Greg McKeown