Fear guides so much of what we do, without us knowing it.

Every time I notice my chest tightening or field of vision narrowing, I ask myself: "What am I afraid of?"

• "I can't believe I quit my job to do this, if I fail everyone will think I'm an idiot"
• "I won't get this product launched in time and I won't get promoted"

Then: "And why does that scare me?"

• "Because if I'm a failure, then no one will love me"
• "Because if this fails, I won't have any money and I'll be poor"

Then again: "And why does that scare me?"

• "Because I don't want to be alone in this world with no friends!"

Then: "How likely is it that the deepest fear I've unearthed will really happen?"

Chances are, pretty slim. If your startup/product launch/job interview fails, it's not like you lose you. You don't lose your brain, your skillset, your network, the capital you've saved. The transition from where you are right now to "no one loves me" will take a pretty darn long time to manifest.

When you are aware, you can control your emotions. When you're not aware, your emotions control you.