One of the many sneaky tricks that fear plays on us is a kind of catastrophizing that I've come to call The Avalanche Threat.

It’s the terrifying sense that if you even take a tiny little step in a direction of change, you'll create an Avalanche; a knock-on effect of uncontrollable consequences that you won't be able to stop.

And you’ll feel like the door will be closed behind you. You won't be able to go back from this decision.

For example, you might be thinking about finally getting a new job, but your mind won’t even allow you to look at job listings! Your brain says, if you get caught looking for a job your boss will fire you for conflict of interest, and then nobody will want to hire you because you'll have a black mark on your record, and you’ll end up homeless!

A man I spoke to yesterday said he was scared to even go to a new hobby to try it out because it felt like his friends would judge him, disapprove of what he’s doing, and then abandon him, leaving him completely alone.

What kind of friends would do that?!?

It's the threat of an extreme domino effect of events that runs quickly out of your control and ruins everything.

But the truth is you can do little isolated experiments with no further obligation. You can search for jobs without having to quit your current position. You can explore meeting new people without ending current relationships.

You don’t even need to tell anyone that you’re taking these little steps until the time is right.

Fear is lying to you.

As usual.

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