In “Fear of Not Trying: Your Hidden Superpower,” George and Mary-Lynn explore a surprising truth: not all fear is bad. In fact, one particular fear—the fear of reaching the end of life and wondering “what if?”—can become powerful motivation.
In episode #1197 of The BIGG Success Show, we reveal:
- The real cost of not trying
- 2 fears you must choose between
- 4 ways to turn fear into action
- The mindset shift that changes everything
You’ll learn how to shrink risk without shrinking your dreams, build daily courage, and use fear as a signal for clarity rather than a stop sign.
By the end of our conversation, you'll be ready to take small, actionable steps that will move you closer to the life you’ve always wanted, proving that success is not about being fearless, but about moving forward despite your fears.
BIGG Takeaways:
The fear of not trying is a superpower that can propel you towards your dreams.
Comfort can be a sneaky barrier that prevents us from taking the risks we need.
To overcome the fear of trying, you must first identify what truly matters to you.
Taking action, even in small steps, is the key to overcoming fear and achieving success.
Regret is a powerful teacher; don't wait until it's too late to take action.
Fear can guide you to what matters most in your life and motivate you to pursue it.
BIGG Chapters
[00:15] Understanding Fear and Its Impact on Success
[01:07] Embracing the Fear of Not Trying
[02:41] Choosing Between Fears: A Practical Approach
On this episode of The BIGG Success Show, The Fear of Not Trying: Your Unexpected Superpower.
BIGG Voice Guy:
BIGG Success with The Professor and Mary-Lynn.
George:
Fear. It's that heavy feeling that makes us want to pull back and stay where it's safe.
Mary-Lynn:
ed about last time in episode:
George:
So let's flip the script. Fear isn't always the enemy. It's because there's another kind of fear.
Mary-Lynn:
A better kind, a stronger kind.
George:
It's the fear of getting to the end of your life and asking, "what if I had tried? What if I had only tried?" Yeah, you got it. That fear. The fear of not trying.
Mary-Lynn:
Welcome to The BIGG Success Show, where we help you create the life you want to. Hi, I'm Mary-Lynn.
George:
And I'm George, The Professor. Now, the fear of not trying isn't your usual fear. This fear is rocket fuel for your journey to BIGG success.
And if you learn how to use it, it will propel you toward the life you were meant to live.
Mary-Lynn:
In this episode, we're going to explore: the real cost of not trying, two fears you must choose between, four ways to turn fear into action, and the mindset shift that changes everything.
Let's start with a question for you, Professor. What's the cost of not trying?
George:
Well, when you dig down really deep on this subject, you realize the real cost isn't failure; it's inaction. Most people aren't stuck because they're incapable. They're stuck because they're comfortable.
Mary-Lynn:
Oh, you know, that's such a good point. Because comfort is sneaky.
George:
Sneaky little bugger, eh?
Mary-Lynn:
It loves to keep us where we are. And it whispers things like, "well, you know what? Now's not the right time."
George:
"You need more preparation."
Mary-Lynn:
"Play it safe."
George:
"Don't embarrass yourself."
Mary-Lynn:
"Oh, just wait and see." And of course, inaction leads to lost opportunities, and then regret.
George:
But deep down, there's another voice that speaks louder over time. "If you don't try, you'll never know." You'll never know if you don't try. That voice is the positive fear, the fear of not trying.
Mary-Lynn:
And here's what's important to know. Fear points to what matters. You don't fear things that you don't care about, right?
George:
That's right.
Mary-Lynn:
It's starting that business that scares you, and that's because it matters. It's having that conversation that scares you because it matters. And it's chasing that dream that scares you because it's BIGG and it matters.
George:
The goal is not to eliminate fear. The goal is to ask, what is this fear trying to teach me?
Mary-Lynn:
This raises a question. What are the two fears that you must choose between?
George:
Every day you're choosing between two fears. Number one is the fear of failing, and number two is the fear of not trying. One makes you want to pull back instead of stepping up.
The other one stretches you. The fear of failing says, "what if it doesn't work?" The fear of not trying says, "what if it could have worked, but I never gave it a shot?"
Successful people don't eliminate fear. They just choose the right one. Because the satisfaction of knowing you took a chance far outweighs the fear of possible failure.
Mary-Lynn:
Let's make this practical. We're going to share some simple ways to use fear instead of being used by it. Here's four ways to turn fear into action.
Number one, define your regret line.
George:
Ask yourself, five years from now, what will I regret more? Trying and failing or never trying at all? Write the answer down. Regret is a great teacher.
But don't wait until you're looking back to learn the lesson. Let that future regret help you make the right move today.
Mary-Lynn:
Number two, shrink the risk, not the dream.
George:
Most people quit because the leap feels too BIGG. So don't leap step.
Mary-Lynn:
It sounds easy when you say it that way, Professor. Let's give some examples.
George:
All right, here's one for you. Instead of starting a business, try talking to three potential customers this week.
Mary-Lynn:
Oh, that's good. How about this one? Instead of writing a book, try writing 300 words a day. That's taking a step instead of a leap.
George:
You're absolutely right. And here's the key, is that fear shrinks when action becomes specific.
Mary-Lynn:
It's not just that you take the action, but you are specific about what action you're going to take.
George:
You're setting yourself up to win.
Mary-Lynn:
That's the whole goal. Four ways to turn fear into action. Number three is treat fear like a yellow light.
Fear doesn't have to stop you in your tracks like a stop sign, you know? Instead, we can use it as a signal to slow down and get clear.
George:
So ask yourself, what's the worst realistic outcome? What would I do if that happened and what would I learn? Clarity kills paralysis.
Mary-Lynn:
And the fourth way to turn fear to action is to build courage. Daily courage is more of a habit than a personality trait. And so if you want it to be there when it counts, you have to practice using it every day.
George:
So, for example, have one uncomfortable conversation, or take one visible action, or make one small commitment that stretches you. Momentum beats motivation.
Mary-Lynn:
Let's get personal for a moment. Imagine yourself 20 years from now. You're looking back.
George:
What story do you want to tell? Do you want to be able to say I played it safe? Or would you rather say I gave it everything I had? The pain of failure is temporary.
It's the pain of regret that lingers.
Mary-Lynn:
I think, Professor, when you really get down to it, the fear of not trying is actually love.
George:
Love?
Mary-Lynn:
Yeah, it's love in disguise. Love for your potential, love for your calling. And love for the life that you can build.
George:
Well, that's a fear that's worth listening to!
Mary-Lynn:
And that brings us to The Professor's BIGG Assignment for this episode.
George:
minutes.:
What specifically am I afraid will happen? What specifically am I afraid will happen? And then the third question. What small action can I take in the next seven days? Then schedule that action.
Not someday, this week. This week. Fear fades when action begins and you're taking action.
Mary-Lynn:
If you want deeper structure, map out your long term direction and break it into clear milestones. That's exactly what we walk you through inside the Life Map Course, turning fear into forward strategy.
Learn more at LifeMapCourse.com and now for this episode's BIGG Takeaway. You don't need to be fearless. You need to fear the right thing.
George:
Fear the unused talent. Fear the dream that dies quietly because you waited too long.
Mary-Lynn:
Let that fear push you. Let it sharpen you. Let it move you.
George:
Success doesn't belong to the fearless. It belongs to the ones who were scared and moved ahead anyway. And that leads to BIGG success.
Mary-Lynn:
Next time, we're going to talk about how to stop overthinking decisions. Ever do that? I've been guilty of it a time or two.
See how a structured approach will help you make everyday decision making simple so you can reach BIGG success faster. Subscribe in your favorite podcast app so you don't miss it.
George:
Hey, let's get connected on social media. We're @BIGGsuccess and that's BIGG with two Gs.
Mary-Lynn:
Join our entrepreneurial mindset community and get insights in your inbox. You can join at BIGGsuccess.com/join.
George:
And we thank you so much for listening. Until next time...
