Fear Makes Us Better - Kreatures Of Habit Podcast

Summary

Kreatures Of Habit Podcast: Episode Summary – "Fear Makes Us Better"

Podcast Information:

Title: Kreatures Of Habit Podcast
Host: Michael Chernow
Episode: Fear Makes Us Better
Release Date: January 6, 2025

Introduction

In the solo episode titled "Fear Makes Us Better," Michael Chernow delves deep into the multifaceted role that fear plays in our lives. Departing from the usual format of hosting guests, Michael shares his personal insights, experiences, and philosophies on how fear can both hinder and propel us toward success. This episode is particularly poignant for listeners seeking motivation and practical advice on confronting and harnessing fear to achieve personal and professional growth.

Exploring the Nature of Fear

Michael begins by establishing his perspective on fear, emphasizing its omnipresence and its dual capacity to either sabotage or stimulate our endeavors.

Michael Chernow [00:00]: "Fear will make you or break you. And what I've learned over the course of my life is that fear is the catalyst to success."

He asserts that any significant achievement is inherently tied to fear, suggesting that the journey towards greatness is inevitably interwoven with moments of anxiety and apprehension.

Michael Chernow [00:00]: "Anything great, anything that you would be proud of achieving is totally immersed in fear."

Fear as a Catalyst for Success

Delving deeper, Michael posits that fear serves as a driving force behind our most commendable accomplishments. He challenges the conventional notion of fear as merely a hindrance, presenting it instead as a powerful motivator that can lead to profound personal transformation.

Michael Chernow [00:00]: "Fear is the catalyst to success... on the other side of it, we typically find freedom."

He explains that confronting fear head-on can illuminate the path to freedom and self-actualization, reinforcing the idea that fear itself is a constant companion, one that we must learn to manage and leverage rather than avoid.

Personal Experiences and Overcoming Fear

Drawing from his extensive personal journey, Michael shares how fear has shaped his life over the past two decades, particularly through his involvement in recovery, fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and business. He underscores the importance of resilience and the continuous battle against fear that defines his path to self-improvement.

Michael Chernow [00:02:02]: "Everything that I've ever accomplished in my life was influenced and propelled by fear."

Michael candidly discusses moments when fear tempted him to retreat or seek escapism through various means, reinforcing his stance that avoidance is futile and that true progress requires active engagement with one's fears.

Practical Advice for Listeners

Michael offers actionable strategies for listeners to confront and manage their fears. He emphasizes the necessity of facing fear directly rather than succumbing to it, advocating for a proactive approach to personal challenges.

Michael Chernow [00:07:00]: "Run at the fear as fast as you can. Literally attack it, charge at it..."

He encourages maintaining momentum, seeking support from others, and fostering open communication as essential tactics for overcoming fear. Michael also highlights the distinction between inspiration and motivation, urging listeners to seek deeper, more enduring sources of courage.

Michael Chernow [00:13:30]: "Anyone who thinks is going through a tough time right now... can use a little inspo, not motivation."

Through vivid metaphors, such as comparing life's challenges to crashing waves or a boxer maintaining balance and forward movement in the ring, Michael illustrates the relentless nature of fear and the importance of adaptability and perseverance.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Wrapping up the episode, Michael reiterates his core message: fear is an inseparable element of the human experience, but it doesn't have to be paralyzing. By embracing fear, understanding its role, and actively working to overcome it, individuals can unlock their true potential and achieve lasting freedom.

Michael Chernow [00:14:50]: "There is not a single person out there that is you... We are one of one."

He extends an invitation to listeners to share the episode with others who might benefit from its message, emphasizing community and collective resilience in the face of fear.

Michael Chernow [00:15:30]: "If this podcast resonated with you, it'd mean a lot to me if you shared it with a friend."

Notable Quotes

On Fear as a Catalyst:

"Fear will make you or break you. And what I've learned over the course of my life is that fear is the catalyst to success."
— Michael Chernow [00:00]
On Freedom Beyond Fear:

"On the other side of fear, we typically find freedom."
— Michael Chernow [00:00]
On Confronting Fear:

"Run at the fear as fast as you can. Literally attack it, charge at it..."
— Michael Chernow [00:07:00]
On Individual Uniqueness:

"There is not a single person out there that is you... We are one of one."
— Michael Chernow [00:14:50]

Final Takeaways

"Fear Makes Us Better" is a compelling exploration of how fear, often viewed negatively, can be harnessed as a powerful tool for personal growth and achievement. Michael Chernow's heartfelt insights and practical advice offer listeners a roadmap to not only confront their fears but to use them as stepping stones toward a more fulfilled and resilient life. This episode serves as a reminder that fear is a universal experience, and overcoming it is integral to unlocking one's true potential.

Transcript

A (0:00)

Fear will make you or break you. And what I've learned over the course of my life is that fear is the catalyst to success. Because anything great, anything that you would be proud of achieving is totally immersed, or the journey of achieving said thing is totally immersed in fear. The other thing that I've learned about fear is that on the other side of it, we typically find freedom. Fear is all encompassing. At times, fear will light a fire under your ass, or it'll force you to hide under the covers and think it's going to go away. But the truth is, fear never goes away. Fear is always going to be there. And when you can come to terms with that, your ability or your desire to want to face it and at some level look for it, are gonna be the foundation of what makes you great.

B (1:04)

What's going on, Podcast family My name is Michael Chernow, and this is the Creatures of Habit podcast. Our habits will make us or they will break us. I've lived on both sides of the tracks and have experienced some of the best and the worst that habits have in store. The decisions we make on a consistent basis truly def who we are as human beings. This episode will be a solo episode where traditionally I interview guests. This is a solo episode where I share with you guys experiences that I've had, things that are relevant in my life today that I think could potentially be interesting for you to hear, things that I simply just want to share or quotes or activities that I've done over the last few, few weeks that have inspired me. So sit back, relax, and get out your pen and paper because what you hear in this podcast could potentially make.

A (2:02)

Some big changes in your life. Let's go.

B (2:06)

What up, everybody? Welcome back to the Creatures of Habit podcast. Today's episode is a solo.

A (2:12)

It's a solo episode where I'm going to talk about fear. I'm going to talk about fear. It's so interesting. Right before we started rolling on this podcast, I was having a conversation about Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Tonight's that fight. I don't know when we'll be. You'll be hearing this episode. So whoever fought that fight will have won or lost. But I can only imagine the fear of Jake Paul right now, knowing that he has to face a guy like Mike Tyson. And I just want to say, whether you like Jake Paul or not, you have to give the man credit for committing to something like that and going through with it. Fear is probably the most powerful. I guess you can't even call it an emotion, but the most powerful Influence in our lives. Fear will make you or break you. And what I've learned over the course of my life is that fear is the catalyst to success. Because anything great, anything that you would be proud of achieving is totally immersed or the journey of achieving said thing is totally immersed in fear. The other thing that I've learned about fear is that on the other side of it, we typically find freedom. Fear. Fear is all encompassing. At times, fear will light a fire under your ass, or it'll force you to hide under the covers and think it's going to go away. But the truth is, fear never goes away. Fear is always going to be there. And when you can come to terms with that, your ability or your desire to want to face it and it's at some level, look for it, are going to be the foundation of what makes you great. Every single thing that I've gone through in my life, good and bad, was influenced by fear. And now I got to say that for the last 20 years or so, I've been in this world of recovery where I found fitness and nutrition and mindfulness and family and love and business and courage and confidence, my ability to commit. If you're listening to this and you're sitting in a pool of fear, just know that you've gotten through everything that's come your way in life so far to date. You've literally gotten through everything. You might not, might not have been pretty in some cases, you might not have been proud of it, but you've gotten through it. And I'm here to tell you that you'll get through this as well. My advice to you is run at the fear as fast as you can. Literally attack it, charge at it, especially if you have no choice, because hiding doesn't work with fear. Escaping with spending money, eating food, drinking alcohol, using drugs, spending all day at the gym, running 7,000 miles straight, it doesn't fix the fear thing in life. Fear is a very real, vibrant and alive influence. Everything that I've ever accomplished in my life was influenced and propelled by fear. And now I can honestly say that I look for it, I hunt it, I want it. Because fear makes us better, it makes us stronger, it makes us more confident. And I owe my life to it. Straight up. I genuinely owe my life to going from one fear journey to the next. And you can, too. You don't have to hide from fear. I'm giving you permission now. You just don't have to hide from it. I said it before on the podcast, and I really do strongly believe it. That pain is the price we pay for greatness. Pain is the price we pay for living. And it doesn't necessarily have to be physical pain, but mental and emotional suffering. It's just part of life. And trying to numb it out or evade it in some way is a waste of your time. Waste of my time. There are definitely moments where I just want to curl up in a ball and, like, close the door and lock it and not face life, also known as fear. Life is scary. It just is. And the more fear you have in your life, from my experience, the harder you're trying to put numbers up on the board. So I'm going through something now that's totally scary. I kind of feel like I'm never not going through scary things, but I have the reps and the mental muscle memory and the physical muscle memory to know that. All I need to do is ask for as much help as possible. Continue to play offense, put the right foot in front of the left. Look for support in the people around me, get them aligned with and on board with what I'm doing. Be communicative and just keep pushing. And if you're going for something great, if you're going for something really hard, if you're starting a business or you're running your first marathon, or you're doing your first competition, or you're, you know, you're trying to get into the greatest school you can, or you're having your first child and you don't know what to expect. Just keep going. Just keep going. Remember, there's only one thing on the other side of fear, and that's freedom. True freedom. And that doesn't mean that you're going to be free from fear, because chances are, fear is right in front of you. Once you get that, that little moment of grace, it's kind of like being in the ocean. You know, I'm not a big surfer, but I've surfed a number of times, and I've gone out there when the waves are, you know, six feet plus, and you get out and you try to crash or catch a wave, and you crash, and then you turn around and there's another massive wave about to crash on top of you. And then you get smashed by that, and then you turn around again, you finally surface, and you look behind you, boom, there's another wave right there, right, coming right at you. And it's kind of like a metaphor for life. Like, you know, when you're. When you're trying to do something great, when you're going after hard things, they're going to just keep coming. So smile at them. Attack. Be on your toes. You know, I also think about if you walk into a boxing ring, which I've done many, many times, and you walk into that ring on your heels, it's not going to take very much for your opponent to just push you and you're going to fall back. However, if you're on your toes and you're moving forward, always moving forward, it'd be very, very hard to get you down. So I just wanted to talk about fear today. You know, it's such a real thing in our lives. And anybody who says they're fearless is lying. Is you're lying. You know, there's nothing wrong with being courageous, but just because you have courage doesn't mean that you are fearless. You know, even the toughest people in the world, doing things that they've done a hundred thousand times, there's a level of fear and anxiety and stress and being scared, there just is. We're human. We are one of one. You are one of one. There is not a single person out there that is you. And there never will be again and there never was before. However, we do share some similarities, and one of them is definitely the influence of fear. So you're not alone. You've gone through everything else in your life to date. You're alive. That's facts. And if this podcast resonated with you, it'd mean a lot to me if you shared it with a friend. Anyone who you think can listen to this, anyone who you think is going through a tough time right now, anybody you think who's sort of looking down the barrel of something really, really hard and can use a little inspo, not motivation. Inspo. There's a big difference. Inspiration and motivation are different. All right, y'all, enough out of me. Get back to your day. I love you. I appreciate you. Give me a five star rating and a review. Mean a lot. Until the next one. Peace.