Magic Happens
I’ve always believed in the beauty of a great journey – discovering new places, seeking life experiences, fostering relationships and pursuing my dreams. In fact, it’s all I’ve ever really wanted to do. I just want to believe in something that’s worth believing in and then pursue it with every facet of my being.
Such journeys, I’ve found, are best when we share them with others who, like me, are ‘crazy’ enough to assume that our wildest dreams are just a brief distance away from reality. These are the folks who realize that ‘impossible’ is simply a mindset – something we get when we haven’t trained our minds and our hearts to see past the systems that currently exist to ones that don’t yet exist. Because when our minds and our hearts and our hands work together, magic happens.
Fear
And only one thing has ever prevented me from making this magic happen more often. Fear. Being afraid of what others might think. Afraid of the repercussions of putting my crazy ideas out there for the world to see and judge. Afraid to let go of my comfort zone and just go for it. Because… What if I fail? What if… What if…
Now, in most situations, fear no longer stands in my way. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. It most certainly does. I’ve just learned to curb my fears and adapt to change a bit more proficiently than I used to. But I still feel the nerves of fear sneak up on me. And the more important something or someone is to me, the more nervous I get, the more I stumble over my words, and the more I sound like an incoherent fool.
A few years ago when I began talking to my friends and family about my goal to write and start the blog that would eventually become Marc and Angel Hack Life, I mostly got half smiles, nods, and quizzical facial reactions. And when I tried to say anything meaningful to Angel when we first met back in September of 2000, she would often laugh at me because she literally found herself trying to decode my jumbled, shaky sentences.
Clarity
One of the most remarkable things about our lives is that clarity and progression occur with enduring love, passion, and patience. This blog is now an easy topic for me to talk about… and now, it’s even easy for others to talk about, including my friends and family. And although it may take her a second or two, Angel now gets the gist of my jumbled, shaky sentences almost immediately.
And that makes me smile. Because I want to continue to evolve and grow with the people and dreams that inspire me. After all, I only have one shot – like we all do – to make this life meaningful. And I know for sure, after coping with my fears on numerous journeys, that I would rather sound stupid…
Than be stupid and take no action at all.
Photo by: Darwin Bell
Karl Staib - Work Happy Now says
I know I’ve been afraid to choose action in many instances and most of the time I regret it. Very rarely do I ever regret taking action because I messed up. I’m always proud that I tried something hard, even if I failed.
I’m working on a book right now. It’s easy to just put it off, but now that I’m done writing it I feel grrrrreat. Now it’s time for my editor. My wife to clean it up then off to the presses it goes. I’m so excited.
Great post! Needed this tonight.
sam ezra says
i could not agree more. fear is the greatest obstacle we would probably ever face. but once we get over it, the view on the other side is nothing short of spectacular. thank you.
Matthew Michael says
I’d rather know and comfirm I’m stupid and was wrong than live with a life long regret of wondering and what if’s :),
Hahah, your post gives me hope though, I thought I would be condemned for a lifetime of crypted jumbled, shaky sentences and conversations nobody would ever understand, but I see theres light at the end of the tunnel :p
Great post =),
Matthew
Flavia says
I absolutely love this blog. Nothing is worse than letting fear stand in the way of your dreams, goals and passions. I did for so long, and I recently found the courage to pursue my dream in music. I recently had my very first acoustic show case and I don’t think I’ve ever been so visibly nervous. But, like you said Marc, I would rather sound stupid than BE stupid and take no action at all.
“The Future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams” 😀
Keep writing Marc, Your words inspire me everyday!
Flavia!
Fotini says
Greetings from Greece to all you wonderful people. Thank you for all your inspirational posts. Fear indeed is on of the biggest obstacles of self improvement.
Marc, your blog definitely has a positive impact in my life.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Ideas With A Kick says
Sounding stupid is one of the risks one must take when one decides to express his personality and opinions in an authentic way. I think being able to take this risk has to do a lot with being ok as an imperfect person and not needing desperately other peoples approval. If you get this handled… 🙂
Eduard
Mauricio says
Great. As always.
I would rather sound stupid…
Than be stupid and take no action at all.
That’s gonna be on my fb status. haha!
Mauricio says
You should have a “tweet this” button. I try to tweet about your blog, it’d be easier if you had it. ;D
Walter says
I have had the same aspirations as yours and the same hindrances. However, I have evolved and made my goals come to reality.
A few years back I wanted to create a blog, but I had no writing ability. It took me a lot of effort to construct a sentence.
Now I have conquered what was once impossible. 🙂
Armen Shirvanian says
Hi Marc.
You have a valuable point here. We need to accept this point if we are to become the person in our minds.
Sometimes I am that “be stupid” example in the end there, and it is worse than looking stupid, because the perception goes away when looking stupid, but the lack of action doesn’t go away after having been stupid, as time was lost.
Good point about the reactions you got when you said you would start this site. Anyone going against the grain, per say, gets those types of reactions, which are not supportive or enjoyable to receive, but come with the territory.
Your boldness rubs off on all of us.
alternaview-Sibyl says
So very well said and inspirational. I think it is important for us all to remind ourselves from time to time that we will not live up to our potential if we are too afraid to take chances and do things differently than perhaps we have in the past. It is far too easy to come up with excuses to sit on the sidelines while opportunities just pass by. There is something to be said about letting go of fears and having confidence that everything will work out the way it should. Thanks for the great post.
Helen says
Hello. This article, that i just read, made me feel inspired. To be fearless, to have more hope, to me more like myself and not to let other’s opinion interfere with my way of being. It is true, that…we are not born with our trust on full capacity, but in time it is very possible!
John Rocheleau - Zen-Moments says
Marc, you’ve expressed the everyday fears that we all experience, so well here.
Like yourself, fear in all its disguises has been my main stumbling block. So many opportunities to live uniquely and fully have been passed up due to my fears and sensitivities. Such a waste, and yet in a sense, perhaps not.
Perhaps seeing all the lost opportunities in hindsight, gives us an extraordinary urgency and strength as we move forward. As you say, this is our one shot. We might just more than make up for all that was lost to fear — because of fear.
🙂
John
Andrew says
I completely agree with your way of thinking.
Fear can only send out negative emotions. I am scared for the kids younger than I am. Kids today are very angry and scared of what everyone thinks. In turn, they decide that its cool to do drugs and to be uneducated. From my point of view, its the group of older people that do drugs and are uneducated that send out that negative energy. Also, tv and movies and some musicians send out a lot of anger to their audiences. Perhaps thinking that it might help release the kids anger, I believe, it just makes things even worse.
Just my thoughts.
Peace and Love.
Jon | Adventures of The Fearless says
Marc, exactly my friend. Press in, Press on and Keep at it!
Nea | Self Improvement Saga says
I totally agree. I’d rather appear stupid to those who don’t get my ideas than to be stupid enough to ignore what feels right to me. You’re wonderful, Marc. Keep up the good work.
Vanessa says
Marc,
I was really moved by this post because it’s aligned so well with my beliefs. Fear and insecurity are constant battles for me and reading something like this really puts into perspective how important it is to fight through those negative feelings. This is my first time visiting this blog and it’s going in my subscriptions for sure.
Thank you for sharing your insightful thoughts =)
Steve-Personal Success Factors says
I absolutely love the last sentence of this post: Just be stupid and do nothing at all. That really is the essence of the truth: the less we are willing to take chances and fail, the less we are going to master what it takes to succeed. Tony Robbins states that he scheduled himself to speak up to 5-6 times per day, regardless of he sounded. Well, I think he’s done ok for himself, don’t you?! 🙂
Sam says
This is a very powerful blog. I wish I was as strong as you.
sam cooper says
Hi Marc,
I appreciate the Boldness in this article.
There are alot of times that iam “Stupid” but in the end i feel so regretful, not for looking stupid but for wasting my time murmuring on what other people might think.
Sounding stupid is one of the risks one must take when one decides to express his personality and opinions in a personal way.
You have a strong point here. People need to accept this point , take the risk inorder to become the person they desire to be. we have to face our fears and just suck it all up.
Ragu says
Quoting from Osho
“So whenever fear comes to you, don’t suppress it, don’t repress it, don’t avoid it, don’t get occupied in something so that you can forget about it.
No! When fear comes, watch it.
Be face to face with it.
Encounter it.
Look deep into it.
Gaze into the valley of fear.
Of course you will perspire, and you will tremble, and it will be like a death, and you will have to live it many times. But by and by, the more your eyes become clear, the more your awareness becomes alert, the more your focus is there on the fear, the fear will disappear Like a mist. And once fear disappears, sometimes, even for only a moment, suddenly you are deathless.
There is no death.
Death is the greatest illusion there is, the greatest myth — a lie.
For even a single moment, if you can see that you are deathless.
Then no meditation is needed.
Then live that experience, then act out of that experience, and the doors of eternal life are open for you.
Much is being missed because of fear.
We are too attached to the body and we go on creating more and more fear because of that attachment.
The body is going to die, the body is part of death, the body is death — but you are beyond the body.
You are not the body; you are the bodiless.
Remember it.
Realize it.
Awaken yourself to this truth — that you are beyond the body. You are the witness, the seer.
Then death disappears and fear disappears, and there arises the tremendously glorious life — what Jesus calls ‘life abundant,’ or ‘the kingdom of God.’
The kingdom of God is within you.
“
matt says
Great story. Thanks.