Interrogate your fears

Direction in disguise.

Author

Jeannette Reyes
April 17, 2025

Hey friend,

It was 3 AM, and I couldn’t sleep. The decision to leave my news career was looming, inducing insomnia, and my fear was loud. 

Instead of tossing and turning, I did something different. I asked, “Okay, what are you really trying to tell me?”

That conversation with my fear? It changed everything.

We’re taught to push past fear or ignore it altogether. But what if fear isn’t just something to overcome? What if it’s trying to guide us? What if it shows up loudest right before something meaningful?

My Crossroads: When Fear Became My Teacher

A few years ago, I found myself at a crossroads: standing at the edge of a comfortable career, staring into the unknown of something new. My established role in news provided stability, recognition, and a clear identity. The path ahead offered none of these certainties. 

The fear I felt was sometimes paralyzing. What struck me wasn't just the intensity of the fear but how specific it was. I wasn't afraid of failing privately. I was scared of failing publicly. 

This distinction became crucial. 

When I finally sat down to examine this fear closely, I asked myself questions that changed everything:

"What's the worst that can happen if I leave? What's the worst that can happen if I stay?"

Staying out of fear terrified me more than potentially failing at something new. I realized I was onto something unique that aligned with where media was heading, and I couldn't bear the thought of watching someone else seize the opportunity while I remained safely on the sidelines.

Another question that cut through my uncertainty was, "Is this fear about the work itself or what others might think?"

The honest answer was revealing: my anxiety centered more on perceptions than on the actual challenge ahead.

Once I recognized this, the fear lost much of its power. Most importantly, the intensity of my fear highlighted how much I valued the new direction. 

My fear wasn't telling me to retreat — it confirmed I'd found something worth pursuing. 🧭

Your Fear Interrogation Toolkit: Questions That Worked For  Me

Studies by psychologist Kelly McGonigal show that people who view their anxiety as helpful rather than harmful perform better and experience fewer adverse health effects.

The truth is, fear isn't random. It's highlighting what you truly care about. When you're afraid of rejection, that's because connection matters to you. When you're scared to fail at something, you genuinely care about succeeding in that area.

Based on my experience, here are the questions that helped me transform my fear from an obstacle to a guide; you can use these to examine yours:

😳Identify What's Really Scaring You

  • Ask yourself: "What specifically am I afraid of happening?"

    • For me, it wasn't just "failure" but "failing publicly" that frightened me. Don't accept vague answers from your fear. Push for specifics until you reach something concrete.

  • Practice tip: Write down your answers. The act of documenting forces clarity and prevents fear from remaining abstract.

🫣Uncover What Your Fear Is Protecting

  • Ask yourself: "What value or desire is this fear protecting?"

    • My fear of public failure was protecting my identity and sense of self-worth. Your fears are often guarding your deepest values— identify them, and you'll understand why the fear feels so powerful.

  • Practice tip: Complete the sentence "I'm afraid because I care about..." with as many honest answers as possible.

🔍Examine All Possible Scenarios

  • Ask yourself: "What's the worst that could happen if I face this fear? What's the worst that could happen if I don't?"

    • This question was transformative for me. I realized that staying in news out of fear created a more terrifying future than potentially failing at something new. I didn't want to watch someone else seize an opportunity I knew was right for me.

  • Practice tip: Project yourself five years into both futures. Which creates more regret?

🙅🏽‍♀️Separate Facts from Fiction

  • Ask yourself: "What concrete evidence supports this fear? What evidence contradicts it?"

    • When I examined my fear of failing publicly, I couldn't find examples of people whose lives were ruined by changing careers. The evidence simply didn't support the fear's dramatic claims.

  • Practice tip: Create two columns—"Supporting Evidence" and "Contradicting Evidence"—and fill both completely.

👥Identify External Influences

  • Ask yourself: "Am I afraid of the thing itself or others' perceptions of me?"

    • This was a crucial revelation for me. Much of my anxiety centered on what others would think if I left news, not on the actual challenges ahead. Once I recognized this, I remembered that basing major life decisions on others' opinions is no way to live.

  • Practice tip: For each fear, ask, "Would this still scare me if no one else knew about it?"

What I Learned: Fear As a Compass

I realized that my fears weren't random obstacles; they were signposts. They pointed toward growth, meaning, and what mattered most to me.

My fear of leaving news eventually revealed its truth: it wasn't about failure. It was about recognizing I'd found something worth pursuing, something uniquely mine that might not wait around if I hesitated too long.

By confronting my fear rather than avoiding it, I discovered it was trying to push me forward, not hold me back. It was the surest sign that I was onto something meaningful.

The next time anxiety rises within you, don't run from it or fight it. Question it. Listen to it. Extract its wisdom.

After all, what terrifies you isn't random. It’s revealing exactly where your next meaningful step lies. 

❝

Everything you want is on the other side of fear.

Jack Canfield

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