Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter summary

Imagine getting shot nine times. Now imagine surviving it, going through the therapy to recover, and feeling the intense pain of every wound for an extended period of time.

You might be afraid of feeling pain like that again. You might be afraid to go back to the place where you got shot. That’s exactly the way Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent, felt the day he went back to his grandma’s house – the scene of the crime – after recovering from his gunshot wounds.

He felt fear, and he didn’t like that feeling. But he wanted to get back into his routine of running every morning, so he decided to run in the same neighborhood he’d gotten shot in. It terrified him, but that was the point.

It all boils down to a simple truth: Fear isn’t the problem. Getting comfortable with fear is the problem.

Being OK with your fear is a form of complacency. It’s impossible to grow as a person, in a career, or in pursuit of a dream if you’ve simply found a way to avoid being in contact with your fear.

Say you, like most people, are afraid of public speaking, but your job frequently requires it. Maybe you find a workaround – such as having a coworker present in meetings – or simply avoid any voluntary public speaking.

Sure, you’ve found a safe, comfortable way of existing. But you won’t advance, and people who are less qualified than you may get promoted faster because of their willingness to do what you’re too afraid to confront.

The flip side to that feeling of safety and comfort is that it’s actually a prison. When you cave to fear, you’re stuck. You’re trapped. If you want freedom, you can only find it on the other side of fear. And that freedom is where you need to be in order to create, innovate, grow, or advance in any way.

The biggest problem is that many people who are comfortable in their fears would deny it if you asked them. They don’t see themselves as afraid. If this is you, there’s a way to identify whether you’re being trapped or controlled by your fears. And that’s if you find yourself changing your routines or behaving in a way that runs counter to your best interests in order to avoid something.

If you frequently veer into the stairwell because you see an intimidating boss stepping into the elevator, you’re avoiding fear. Not going to an audition, saying no to an invitation that could help you network, not raising your hand in class when you have the answer – these are all examples of avoiding fear.

So first ask yourself, What am I afraid of? Then ask whether the risks of confronting your fear are more important than the potential upside. Chances are, if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll find that the risks are worth it.