Driving Blindfolded: What I Learned About Fear

I drove blindfolded.

Drove blindfolded?

Yes!!

Here’s some background:

Leadership Beaver County is a cohort offered by the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce. Driving blindfolded is the opening activity for a group of individuals who, for the most part, do not know one another. One participant drives blindfolded. Two others sit in the back seat giving instructions for the driver to follow.

I have been an instructor in the leadership cohort for four years. I facilitate a training on building relationships. I always attend the orientation the evening before my session. As such, I have always been given the opportunity to participate in the activity. I have always passed.

This year, I once again instructed the session on relationship building. I am also participating in the cohort for the 2021-22 session which meant participating in, not just observing, the activity. No passes offered.

Without an option to pass, I also noticed that I didn’t want to pass this time. In other words, I wanted to face the fear.

As with all good experiences, I learned from this one. Two lessons about fear. One about good communication.

Today I share the first lesson about fear.

But I think rather than “lesson,” I should call this my “reminder.”

Many years ago, I attended a conference in Whistler, British Columbia. Although the education that week was around real estate investing, each day there was an activity that caused fear for many in attendance. There were ATV rides on high, rocky mountainsides; white water rafting; ziplining; and negotiating with strangers. This is where I learned an important lesson about fear.

In my blindfolded driving experience, I was reminded that when we face a fear by doing one thing, we increase our courage for facing any fear. We don’t specifically learn to face each individual fear, e.g., “blindfolded driving,” “talking to strangers,” or “heights.” Rather, by facing any type of fear, we increase our confidence that we can move through our fears to the other side of them.

When I walked way from my experience, I did feel a new level of confidence. It was subtle and yet significantly real. I had looked at fear and said, “Not today.” Tomorrow, I know I can do the same.

Get in the habit of facing fears. Any fear you stare down elevates your courage for the next one.

Until one day you’re doing the one thing - that one thing - you swore you’d never have the courage to do.

But you are.