We often think something is too hard, requires too much effort, is insurmountable when really we just don’t know how to do it. We’re intimidated, not incapable.

Scary is scary. I get it. I’ve talked myself out of a bunch of opportunities over the years because I was intimidated or just plain afraid. But that an emotional response, not an actual inability.

I am never going to be a professional athlete – that requires a lot of hard work and physical talent I will never possess. That’s hard. But exercising consistently and making improvements? That just requires work.

Scary requires work. Then it’s not scary anymore. It may be physical work, learning how to do something that’s intimidated you. It may be emotional or mental work to desensitize or retrain your body’s reaction to something that’s caused you fear. It doesn’t require hard work, it requires consistent work.

Scary can become easy with consistent effort. It isn’t a thorny problem to solve, it isn’t a particular high-level challenge. It’s just sustained effort at whatever level you can manage.

You can overcome scary. You can force yourself through it. Because you are afraid of something is no reason to turn away from it. Continue to put pressure in that direction. Continue to take a bite out of that fear every day. Eventually you’ve made progress. It isn’t scary, it isn’t overwhelming, you are not afraid. You put in work.

Scary is not hard. Overcoming fear requires sustained effort and time. Don’t confuse the two. You can deal with scary.