716: Feel the Fear And Do It Anyway

In today’s episode, Cindra and Lisa talk about the timeless truth of high performance:

You don’t build confidence by eliminating fear.
You build confidence by moving with it.

Inspired by Dr. Susan Jeffers’ classic book Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway (1987), this conversation explores why fear shows up, how it impacts performance, and how the world’s best learn to step toward what scares them instead of stepping back.

 

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What We Talk About in This Episode

1. Why Fear Is Universal — and Why This Topic Matters

Fear is the #1 barrier to our potential. And as Dr. Susan Jeffers taught decades ago, fear never fully goes away. Instead, confidence grows when we act in spite of it. Courage isn’t about being fearless—it’s about moving forward with fear in hand.

 

2. A Story About Fear on the Court

Cindra shares the story of a college volleyball player moments before a championship match—shaking hands, tight stomach, racing thoughts. She feared missing a serve. She feared letting her team down.

And she walked onto the court anyway.
That act of courage allowed her to deliver one of the best serves of her season. The lesson: fear doesn’t disqualify you. It prepares you.

 

3. How Coaching Helps You Work Through Fear

Every coaching client—executives, athletes, leaders—hits a wall of fear when they stretch themselves. Coaching helps you name the fear, normalize it, and learn tools to navigate it so you can keep moving toward who you’re meant to become.

 

4. Where Your Mind Goes When You’re Afraid

Fear doesn’t live in the present. It lives in the future.

Fear is your mind projecting a worst-case scenario, pulling you out of the moment. Research shows that when we anticipate threats, our working memory, decision-making, and performance all take a hit.
Your best performance? It always happens in the present moment.

 

5. Why Embracing Fear Is Important for Growth

The things you fear often reveal the places you’re meant to grow.

And research backs this: studies from Harvard Business School show that when people reframe anxiety as excitement, they perform significantly better—whether in public speaking, singing, or even difficult math tasks.
The goal isn’t to eliminate fear. It’s to choose courage anyway.

 

6. The Difference Between Fear and Courage

Fear is a feeling.

Courage is an action.
You can’t experience courage without fear—fear is the doorway. When Cindra wrote her first book, she was terrified no one would read it. But she knew she was supposed to write it.
So she moved toward what scared her.
That’s courage.

 

Today’s Big Takeaway:

The world’s best don’t wait to feel fearless.
They feel the fear—and do it anyway.
Fear becomes a signal that they’re doing something meaningful and important.

 

This Week’s Power Phrase:

“I lean into the fear — and let courage lead.”

 

To Request a Free Breakthrough Call with a Mentally Strong Coach, visit: http://www.freementalbreakthroughcall.com/

To learn more about the Mentally Strong Institute, visit: https://mentallystronginstitute.com/

To learn about Dr. Cindra Kamphoff's speaking and coaching, visit: https://cindrakamphoff.com/

To follow Dr. Cindra on Instagram, visit: Cindra Kamphoff, PhD (@cindrakamphoff) • Instagram photos and videos