Summary

The article discusses the choice between letting fear guide one's life or pursuing dreams despite fear, advocating for the latter as the path to a fulfilling life.

Abstract

The author presents a metaphorical dichotomy of life's compasses, fear and dreams, urging readers to choose the compass of dreams. Fear is depicted as an overpowering force that, if chosen, leads to a life devoid of purpose and conscious choices, akin to an old lady being dragged by a big dog. In contrast, dreams are portrayed as the driving force that lies beyond fear, promising transformative experiences and self-discovery. The author recounts personal experiences of overcoming fear to achieve significant life milestones, emphasizing that while one cannot control life's outcomes, aligning actions with dreams ensures a life lived fully and intentionally. The article concludes with an invitation to subscribe to an email course for further personal development.

Opinions

Fear, as a life compass, leads to a lack of agency and purposeful living.
The best aspects of life are attainable only by confronting and overcoming fear.
Choosing to follow one's dreams is essential for living a life aligned with personal aspirations and values.
Even seemingly minor decisions, like attending a social event, can have a significant positive impact when guided by dreams rather than fear.
Life's unpredictability does not negate the importance of striving towards one's dreams to live a fulfilling existence.
Acting with intention and purpose daily is crucial for personal growth and life satisfaction.

There Are Two Compasses in Life: Which One Do You Choose?

Each of them will take you to very different places.

What is the ideal life? Probably a life in which you wake up feeling grateful for the day ahead. A life that gives you the strength to overcome your fears and start doing what matters to you. The one you discover when you stop living a false life, dictated by others rather than yourself.

There are two compasses in life. You can only choose one. One of them is the default mode. The other is only acquired when we take off our blinkers and become aware of life’s possibilities.

The Old Lady and The Big Dog

Have you ever seen those cartoons where an old lady owns a pretty big dog? She walks it around on a leash. Suddenly the dog sees something that catches its attention, like a cat, and it starts running towards it. The lady, not strong enough to hold it back, ends up dragged behind her dog.

The first of the two compasses in life is called “fear”. If you choose it, you will end up like the old lady, and the dog will be your life.

If you let fear dictate your life, you will not live it. It will live you. You won’t make conscious choices. You won’t live with purpose.

Fear will make the choices and the decisions for you.

The Secret Hiding Place for the Best Things in Life

“The best things in life are on the other side of fear” — Will Smith

When I first came across those words, they hit me like a brick. I immediately felt that it was profoundly true. Every time I felt the inner fire in my life, it was because I had put myself in situations that I was afraid of at first, but I eventually overcame that fear.

Let me tell you one thing: your dreams, your dream life, are hidden on the other side of fear. But you can’t reach them without climbing the mountain of your fears.

I arrived alone in Paris when I was 16. It was one of the best moments of my life. I met tons of great people and I learned a lot during my studies, at work, and about myself. But at first, I was scared to death.

Same with my first solo trip. It was in Hong Kong, and I was 19. On the morning of my flight, I almost canceled. But I went anyway. And I had a great time there, and, again, I learned a lot about myself.

These transformative experiences happened because I decided to face my fears.

Choose Your Dreams Instead of Your Fears

These are two quick examples. I have tons more, and so do you.

In both situations, I choose my dreams over my fears. I let my life be driven by what I wanted it to look like. How I wanted to live it. How I wanted my days to be. It was scary, but I went anyway.

It works for important life choices, but it also works for silly situations, like whether or not to go to that party/networking event where you don’t know anyone. That can be scary. It’s stressful. You’ll probably feel uncomfortable at first. But you don’t know what might happen, and how it might positively affect your life.

Life is not something palpable, a pawn that you can move as you please. You can only influence it, push it in this or that direction. And to choose this or that direction, our dreams are our best compass.

If we can’t decide exactly where we’re going to land, we can at least get as close to it as possible.

If you constantly strive to follow the wind direction of your dreams, you can’t miss your life. Even if you miss things, and you will, you’ll know you did your best. You will not have existed, you will have lived.

Pick the right compass. Every day, act with purpose. If you don’t, no one else will.

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