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Creative pursuits like art and music feel inherently risky to most people, so they avoid them as career choices.  The common portrayal of the “starving artist” doesn’t do much to sell the idea either.

What we know is that most people want more opportunities to be creative in their careers.  Jonathan Fields‘ book Uncertainty speaks to that desire, though you may not initially like his solution.

I don’t do a lot of book reviews because honestly, there aren’t too many nonfiction books that impress me.  Fields’ book happens to be one of them.

The basic premise of the book is that you must embrace fear (as opposed to overcome it) in order to really spark your creative fire.  In addition to summarizing a lot of research on the subject, he also provides an abundance of case studies, highlighting how creativity is at the heart of brilliance in nearly any career field: science, entrepreneurship, even investment banking.

In this post, I’ll highlight a few of the big ideas introduced in the book and some of the tactics he proposes to put this all into practice.  I’ll also reveal how a few fear-embracers can read it for free.

You are a creator (yes, you)

I love the case studies in this book, because they really bring home the point that everyone, regardless of profession, can benefit from more creativity.  For example, Starbuck’s Frappaccino wasn’t the result of some big new product development team, but an enterprising manager who thought, “I bet we could do something more and something different than we we’re doing now.”

The manager had to push hard to get the beverage tested in her store before senior management would approve it.  As Fields’ points out, this was a turning point for the company.

So you have to ask yourself: what turning points in your career could you be creating with a little more creativity (combined with a little more persistence and belief in your ideas)?  What new products or ideas could you usher into the world if you embraced creativity as a fundamental part of your job description?

Can I learn it?

Probably my favorite case study comes from the investment bankers.

In a three year study, a researcher looked at newly hired bankers at two firms.  One firm was noted for their traditional approach, and the other for their belief that every situation was unique.

At the traditional bank, the senior partners were the leaders, showing more junior bankers the standard protocols for creating solutions for clients.

At the more innovative bank, there were no best practices or formal training.  Junior partners were often asked to lead the efforts, with the idea they would bring fresh ideas to a new problem.  The young bankers at the more innovative firm learned they couldn’t rely solely on their own abilities, a striking observation for those who are used to excellence and probably over-achieving.

When times were good, both firms did well.  But when times were bad, the traditional bank collapsed while the more innovative bank continued to prosper.

The important thing here is that the research showed no difference in personality or disposition for uncertainty in the new hires at the different banks.  It seems clear that the junior members at the innovative bank learned over time that risk and uncertainty bring their own benefits.

But the most fascinating outcome was that when people left the more innovative bank, they often left the field of banking entirely.  This could be because they were burnt out on anxiety, or as Fields’ suggests, they had learned skills that allowed them to thrive in any field of their choosing.  For my money, that’s a theory worth testing.

The skinny on fear (it’s not what you think)

Economists are always looking at ways to quantify risk, but in real life, it’s usually not possible to understand what all the risks are, much less quantify them.

Since the 1960′s, experiments seemed to suggest that humans were hard-wired to avoid uncertain situations.  That such a trait was a survival mechanism held over from our earliest evolution, even in situations where survival was no longer a threat.

That’s true, but only to an extent.  Recent studies showed that if you remove the possibility of evaluation (that is, no one knows whether you got something right or did well on a particular task), the aversion to uncertainty disappears entirely.

For me, that little insight was worth the price of the book alone.

Because what it tells us is that we’re so worried about what other people think, we’re all so caught up in our reflection through others, that it’s stifling the very trait (creativity) that helps us stand out and do amazing work.

So if you want to be more creative, you don’t need an art class.  Just work on dealing with your fear of judgement.

Why you need fear (and this book)

One of the things that really hit home for me was this quote from the book

You cannot solve a problem better if every solution has already been defined. [...] Genius starts with a question, not an answer.  Eliminate the question and you eliminate the possibility of genius.

The point is that trying to overcome your fear may not only be impossible, it may be detrimental. Fields urges us to invite, amplify and exalt uncertainty–and better yet, he spends much of the book telling us exactly how to do it.

The rest of the book is tactical: how find certainty anchors, how to establish a network of like-minded people to support you when you go out on a limb.  And perhaps most important of all, how to know when to give up and when to persist.

I think this may be one of the most important books my readers can have at their bedside table.  It’s quite possible that if you get this right, everything else takes care of itself.

I’m giving away two free copies.

To enter, leave a comment discussing  a situation you’re struggling with and why you think this book would help you.  On Friday, Oct 7, at 9 AM London time, I’ll choose two winners and ship them a free copy of the book.

Due to the sensitive nature of the situation you might want to discuss, you’re welcome to use a pseudonym instead of your real name.  Just make sure you put your real email address in the comment form (no one sees it but me).

If you don’t win a free copy, I urge you to get a copy of Uncertainty anyway (affiliate link).  Like me, you might end up buying copies for all your friends, your readers, or at least those you want in your creative hive, as Fields’ calls it.

Dare to shine!

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50 Responses to Turning Fear Into Brilliance: A Review of Uncertainty

    • On
    • October 4, 2011 at 6:40 pm
    • Crafty Newbie
    • Said...

    Upon reading your review, I realized that in the paragraphs you are describing me to the “T”. I hope I’m not sharing these issues with the entire world and please forgive my frankness as I explain my personal situations. I’m having two issues: 1) I just graduated with a Bachelor’s in Social Work and I’m in desperate fear of going wrong with a client/consumer. This fear has led me to NOT apply for Social Work positions and this is crippling to my emotional self. Plus, I do not want to be rejected or feared by clients/consumers. I have always had compliments on my interactions with clients in my internship, but even this isn’t enough to get me to apply; 2)I’m learning to sew/craft/create/etc… I have to admit I’m a perfectionist and an overachiever AND this alone STOPS me from creating even though I enjoy it thoroughly. I’m terrible about picking apart my projects, so much so I do not make another one…even though I keep saying I will.

    This book I believe will help me conquer my fear and understand it much better, which in turn will give me the push I need to be out there doing what I have always naturally done in a more professional manner.

    Thank you for the give away! I REALLY hope I can win this, it appears it would be a perfect start to embracing this fear. Thank you again.

      • On
      • October 5, 2011 at 6:48 pm
      • chloe
      • Said...

      What an intriguing review. I think making fear work for you is such a daunting, yet necessary task. I find when making art I often love my mistakes the most, yet I can’t seem to apply this concept to life outside of the canvas.

      I am currently contemplating a return to school after a divorce and the loss of my job. Working in the restaurant industry is a comfortable spot for now, but I know my days there are numbered. I think this book could help me use all the uncertainty to my benefit and finally bring my life into a place of thriving instead of existing.

      Thanks for the opportunity!

  2. Pingback: Job Tips » Turning Fear Into Brilliance: A Review of Uncertainty

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 12:54 am
    • Raj
    • Said...

    Ok, I don’t have any difficult situations in my life because I treat the most difficult situations as quite normal! :D

    But as you (and the book) say, fear makes people work extra hard. But fear also makes people break the rules/ LAW. Think about it. There are two sides to any coin.

  4. Pingback: Turning Fear Into Brilliance: A Review of Uncertainty « Feeds « MOMMY BLOGS NETWORK- Mommy Blog Aggregator

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 7:17 am
    • Tom
    • Said...

    Great article. About my situation: I’m in 9-5 job, and I want to change it radically. Want to be on my own bussines, concrete videography field. I love to make videos, edit them, make them flow with music. I love ideas about what to record, ideas with some story, ideas from my own life, my own experiences. And I love to realize that ideas through video. I want to change my life, and put my full attention to my passion. But I’m scared. I’m scared in talking with clients, to offer them my video servises. I’ve got fear of rejection. And mainly, I don’t know if my future steps in this area will be right. Uncertainty, doubt and anxiety from future is enormous. What if I buy new camera and then suddenly stopped be passionate about it? What if I realize that I can’t make my ideas happen? What if? I need powerful push to water, only then I can learn how to swim. But fear make me paralyze. So, that’s it. Thank you very much for your blog and for your articles. I hope everybody make their “dream work” come true. Tom from Czech Republic

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 8:29 am
    • Katie Gresham
    • Said...

    I have recently taken the leap to move abroad, from Washington DC to London, but I am now stuck in a rut when trying to decide my career here. Do I take any job just to have an income or do I wait for something that fires a passion in me? Should I forget my current training and go for that plan B even if it will mean staring over? I have become very tired of normal 9-5 office work and want to feel like I’m evaluated on my creative time and effort rather than my ability to sit in a chair for 8 hours replying to e-mails. If this book is all you said it is, I hope it will help me get some clarity on what kind of job I’m most suited for as well as the courage to accept the fear of doing something new, with little or no experience.

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 10:28 am
    • Minni
    • Said...

    Hi

    I saw a review on this book before and said to myself that I should buy it, this is why…

    I’ve taken many steps in my life just to put a lid on the feeling that I am scared. Right now it is a good time to change things around, to do something different, to try something different. And with different I mean: to do something I love. Hopefully it will develop into something that will keep me going financially. So I need the book to push myself to go for what I am longing for.

    I added the URL of my very newly started blog, where I’ll try to gather the inspirational things I do and yes my thoughts in general.

  8. My whole life is a challenge. That is not to say it’s bad, just complex and at times frustrating but I try to look for the opportunities.

    My 9-5 job (for 25 years) is a crisis driven position. One that makes planning and staying on schedule only minimally successful at best.

    When I get home and turn my to my creative outlet (writing) it is sometimes hard to shake the baggage of work demands (including sometimes bringing office work home) and pressures about what tomorrow will bring.

    I am trying hard to allow myself more freedom to become more of a reflection of what I am capable of creating. I don’t dislike my day job and what I do is important bit I’m looking for balance and insight that will allow me the freedom to take better advantage of my creative capacity. This is both an exciting and frightening path to go down.

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 11:21 am
    • Tim
    • Said...

    This seems to be the theme of the day. I just read 2 previous blog posts before this popped up in my email. I’ve noticed that the most successful people aren’t these super brave robots that feel nothing. They understand there’s a risk, they get afraid and do it anyway. They know that the fear is there, they just choose to not let it run their decisions.

    When I was working with a spiritual healer, she was constantly trying to get me to “feel the fear” and do it anyway. She kept trying to tell me that I need to accept the fear as it is and then heal it from that. It seems like this entire year, my life has been based around the theme of “acceptance.”

    I remember reading a quote one time that said something along the lines of, “Courage isn’t having no fear. Courage is knowing you have fear but doing it anyway.” The book highlighted that quote perfectly from your description. Maybe I should do a post on this. If anything, it gets me to look at myself on what to work on next. Thanks for sharing as always!

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 11:53 am
    • Jennifer
    • Said...

    I am a Director of Training for 10 years (20 years total in my career). I cannot seem to achieve a level of gravitas within myself and also within the organization despite always receiving excellent performance reviews. I also have plans for my own future online business but I seem to lose momentum in my ideas due to personal apprehension and getting lost in the details of life. (Between you and me, I don’t feel like a grown-up yet despite having 2 children and turning 40.) I would like to move beyond my fear and develop my executive presence so that I can continually grow and develop both personally and professionally. Thank you for the opportunity of entering this contest!

  11. Hi Jen,

    I just ordered this for my Kindle (they make it so easy to run up your credit card) because I trust your judgment. Who among us doesn’t wrestle with fear of one kind of another — though I can reassure anyone who’s younger than I am (most of you) that your ability to cope with it increases with years and experience.

  12. Great post, Jen! & I appreciate you pressing publish amidst crisis.

    A situation I’m struggling with: the transition between working full-time for a non-profit, and striking out on my own as a writer. For 5 years, I’ve structured my work life around the needs of the organization, and put my creative work on the back burner. Now, I’m faced with the exciting-yet-daunting prospect of doing what I’ve always longed to do…and yet there’s so much doubt & uncertainty that arises from within. I could especially relate to the part of this post about the fear of judgment…what would those close to me think if I ‘failed’?

    Why I think this book would help:
    1. I know I need to learn more about embracing uncertainty as a good, rather than fearing it as a force of doom!
    2. I believe it would help me to feel more at-ease with the uncertainty involved in working for oneself; as a ‘J’ on the Myers-Briggs, I’m a planner through and through.
    3. I trust the quality of your recommendation. ;)

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 12:18 pm
    • bekee gibson
    • Said...

    i’ve been struggling with fear of change for a while now and am trying to embrace it; my problem is that i try to do everything by myself. it would be of great benefit to me to have this tool to help. thanks for the opportunity!

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 12:22 pm
    • Bill
    • Said...

    15 years ago after a layoff, I took a management job with an entertainment company that didn’t really suit me. But it paid well and the gig lasted 15 years, supported my family, and nobody died or got hurt.

    I am at the same crossroad today after enduring another layoff and my financial responsibilities have increased tenfold. Should I take another job in the entertainment industry (I have an offer pending) or finally cut the ties and pursue my true passions?

    This book may help me really look at my fears. Thanks.

  15. My situation is that I have project ideas that would take lifetimes to complete, but these big projects take a lot of time and energy (with no immediate income) so I keep get swamped in the “littler” stuff ($15 article here, entering contests, pitching magazines, etc.) that will pay out now when all I really want to do is focus on the bigger stuff. I fear I am using my time wrong, yet I don’t see another way (unless I get a grant or win the lottery). All I want to do is hole up and write my heart out.

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 1:20 pm
    • vivian
    • Said...

    I have been making progress on becoming comfortable with fear (my journey started in high-school), but I still feel I have a ways to go. I was able to take a leap and leave a great, stable publishing job to enter graduate school in the sciences. I have successfully landed a few temporary positions in my new career with prestigious organizations. But as I try to figure out what I want to do as I am finishing school, I am floundering and second-guessing, and most of all, afraid that these little images in my head of the perfect work/life situation are not what the rest of the world expects me to do and therefore not realistic, and that I’m not good enough to pull it off. Finally, I have been CRAVING creativity lately, and I think that creativity is actually what I need to find a way to make this “perfect situation” happen.

  17. This sounds like a great book to read.

    I’m finding that just trying to get the word out on my site was a scary proposition. I was afraid I would fail or that I wasn’t good enough. When I started taking action, the fear didn’t go away, but the act of taking action seemed to make the fear seem less powerful to me.

    Thanks for sharing this review!

  18. Thanks so much for the review of this book, Jennifer. Especially this: “Because what it tells us is that we’re so worried about what other people think, we’re all so caught up in our reflection through others, that it’s stifling the very trait (creativity) that helps us stand out and do amazing work…So if you want to be more creative, you don’t need an art class. Just work on dealing with your fear of judgement.”

    Wow.

    Yeah…

    I don’t want a free copy of this book from you, even though I am struggling with a “situation” (her name is Jill and she looks a lot like ME), because as soon as I have some free space in my reading schedule, I am buying it for myself. I read about it the day it launched, and the book trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIGfhdaemPI)is one of the best I have ever seen, it brought me to tears, sobbing thinking about the leap he’d taken in his own life and what he was offering to his readers.

    Thank you, thank you again for what you offer to your readers.

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 3:10 pm
    • SGHolland
    • Said...

    Daily I try to walk straight into the wind rather than turn away from it. It’s a chilly wind these days. The place I rented a room in foreclosed. The landlady and I are having trouble meeting rents for our new dwelling. A small business I am using to make ends meet has come to the end of the Farmer’s Market Season. My pension and Social Security check are teensy now that medical insurance is taking a bigger bite. My daughter is ill and we are worried it is cancer. There are a lot of monsters under my bed.

    Your book sound terrific. If I don’t win it, I’ll find money to buy one. Thanks. Susan

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 6:50 pm
    • 13lines
    • Said...

    Why I need more fear in my life? I’m not sure I do, quite frankly. I’ve recently moved from Australia to London with just a credit card debt to support me, because I felt it was something I needed to do. Now quite seriously starting a business in a completely new field, which I’m terrified about, and acknowledge that there’s a high probability of totally failing. But it’s got to be done, and I’ve got to think big, finally. (Credit to your tips Jen for helping me figure a lot of that out)

    I guess what I do need though, is a better understanding of how to channel that fear. And maybe something for the fear-induced insomnia…

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 8:51 pm
    • CravingCreativity
    • Said...

    I really do feel that this book could be just what I need to jump-start into a new career . Thank you so much for mentioning it. ( I absolutely will be reading it ) . After riding the last wave in on my 30 year career in the restaurant business , I have found myself spinning my wheels for the last three years …very certain of what I dont want to do ( I’m through with the hospitality business ) yet I am completely clueless as to which road to take . All my days are consumed with the guilt of realizing that my husband is shouldering all of our financial responsibilities alone while I supposedly pursue my bliss . In my most honest moments , I know I am a performer . I have had this confirmed through personality assessments where I tend to rate highest in the performing category . I haven’t pursued this area of endevour simply because the fear of a starving atrist feels branded on my brain . The fear is so completely internalized that I feel the only real hope is , as Jonathan Fields puts forth , for the fear to be embraced and even cultivated . Thank you very much for promoting this book since I can eaily imagine it being very helpful to many people . I know I found even the tiny glimpses you shared to be enlightening .

    • On
    • October 5, 2011 at 9:16 pm
    • Virginia
    • Said...

    Dude!!! I am totally jazzed about reading this book after reading your post about it. I have been ALL about overcoming fear for the past several years. And some really inspirational (and well-timed) books have come into my life and definitely helped to spur me on to take my fear-bucking skills to the next level. My current terrifying project is my new blog http://www.AcceptanceProjectNYC.blogspot.com. Where I am blogging 6 days a week about my process of preparation to apply for an MFA in Acting from JUILLIARD, NYU and YALE. Makes me feel totally vulnerable to admit it… but that’s really where I want to be!!! Schmancy acting schools used to seem completely out of my league, and it’s been only through overcoming my fears… in every area of my life that I’ve been able to build up the courage to tackle this… my greatest, most dear-to-my heart and knee-knocking creative dream. I am committed to putting myself out their daily with this blog… And, come January, I’m going to be auditioning for the three top drama schools in the country… AGAIN. Defeat = Not Accepted. This book would be a true support and great inspiration to me as I’m battling my inner doubts daily. Thank you sooooo much for recommending it… and for your Courage Challenge too, which I am loving. Thanks for all that you give!!! It’s much appreciated. Send me some luck in 2012, k?

    Yours,
    Virginia
    Hopeful, MFA Acting Graduate Student of the FUTURE!!!

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 8:37 am
    • Cecile
    • Said...

    Thanks for this post, Jennifer. It got me thinking about uncertainty as a good thing and I’m not ready yet to accept that concept.
    I’ve been fortunate for the past few years that I haven’t had to work outside my home. My contributions have been in the home with the occasional freelance work but now I need to contribute financially on a steadier basis. My uncertainty about which direction to go in has been debilitating.
    I *want* to explore two specific and very different artistic avenues but I am realizing that what I *want to do* and what I *have to do* now are very different.
    I’ve wasted years wishing to be certain about what I should do with my two interests and I’ve been plodding along in both, not willing to give up either.
    Maybe I should embrace uncertainty and see where that takes me? I’m not convinced that’s the reason I’m stuck.
    I’ve printed off the Intro and first chapter of the book to see what the author has to say. Maybe he’ll change my mind.
    Thanks for getting me thinking about this.

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 12:41 pm
    • Anna B
    • Said...

    My big uncertainty is that I’m trying to start a freelance writing business, but I am very afraid of failing – especially in marketing it. I walked into an investment business in my town the other day, left my name and number with the receptionist explaining that I’d like to talk to the broker about marketing and maybe helping him put a newsletter or website together. She said she’d have him call. No call. I was so deflated. I thought, “I don’t know if I’m cut out for this.” And just from 1 rejection!!

    I’d like to just jump in and do this and not care about rejection or failure. Maybe this book can help. :-) I’d love to win it!

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 1:42 pm
    • Martha
    • Said...

    Another great post! It’s great to get regular reminders or examples of courage and overcoming fear through your posts. Fear is something I struggle a lot with and have begun to try to use it creatively and work with it rather then overcome it. Fear is useful in certain contexts and it is part and parcel of life, yet in the past I have used it as an excuse to avoid challenges that I’m sure I could succeed in, simply because as your post says, I fear how others will perceive me if I fail. I’m a primary teacher with a degree in music and a real love of music, but really dread the thought of performing. By avoiding opportunities to perform in the past, it was really only myself who suffered. But as a teacher, I’m so aware of the gift of music that I’m only partially sharing with the kids. In my heart, I feel that taking on a big musical project with the kids would be a great learning experience for all involved, I’m reluctant to put myself forward for any such project because of my fear of failing, losing face in front of others, or simply not measuring up the the task in question. I feel that I need some strategies, which I’m sure this book will provide to help me deal with this problem. Thank you, Martha

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 2:41 pm
    • Anonymous
    • Said...

    I am struggling with trying to decide “what I want to be when I grow up” or “just getting a job”. For the past two years i have worked in the non-profit world in a field I really enjoyed. Now my field has dried up and I am unemployed with no prospects. Also, I feel like no one wants me as an employee because I am so highly skilled in my dried-up field. So now I am taking my time trying to discover my passion and what I want to do with the rest of my life. I need stability (and health benefits)but, I long to be a writer. I am stuck and I don’t know what or where to turn. This book seems like it could help me with my big decisions.

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 3:16 pm
    • Kris
    • Said...

    This the fourth or fifth review of this book I’ve read; I KNOW I need to read this book!

    20 years ago, I embraced life head on, fearless and certain I owuld succeed. Move across the country? Let’s go! Unemployed? I can fix that. I ahve restarted my career and reinvented my life at least three different times… and I’m thinking very hard about doing it again, but this time, I’m afraid.

    For some reason, this time change is hard – I have kids and a husband who depend on me in many ways, including financially. I need to find ways to embrace the fear, tackle it head on, and learn to live freely again!

  28. I just wanted to say how humbled I am by all these responses. I hope you know how brave you are just for trying, for seeing that you need help and asking for it. I applaud every one of you.

    I will respond to everyone individually soon. As some of you know, my cat is very ill after quarantine before joining us in the UK, so it’s taking a lot of my time and energy.

    You guys are amazing and inspire me everyday. Dare to shine, indeed!

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 4:16 pm
    • Michelle
    • Said...

    A couple of years ago I sent a letter to my University saying I had decided to give up with my PhD. I had already asked for one extra year to finish my thesis but it had been useless because I had written just the first chapter.
    After 4 years of good and bad moments I was so near to the end of my Phd, everyone said “Finish your thesis, you can’t throw 4 years of your life away, you’re going to regret the decision” but it was like I couldn’t move on. Days passed by worring and feeling depressed and every time I tried to write I felt like I was doing something so difficult. On the one hand I kept saying to myself that I wasn’t able to write my thesis but I think the truth was that I wasn’t interested in finishing it. It was not part of my life anymore and I felt the good reasons to finish were not good enough for me.
    I have never regretted the decision so far but I’m still struggling with fear. I have a little freelance job but it’s very little, doesn’t paythe bills and I keep feeling numb…I keep feeling like that girl who felt so bad during those PhD years. I feel like people don’t think I’m good enough, even though they are happy with my work.
    I am also afraid to promote myself so I don’t move, I don’t do anything, I wait for life to happen and that’s terrible because life should be lived.
    I thought the problem was the PhD but it’s not that and I can’t understand what the problem is. I feel so alone.
    This book could help. A good friend could help too.

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 4:23 pm
    • Ian
    • Said...

    I’m struggling with so much fear of judgment and uncertainty it’s pathetic. I have some of the most creative, innovative ideas about how to revolutionize child advocacy issues. But I sit and do nothing to pursue them. Yes, I study up, brainstorm and get my creative jucies flowing, but I’m stagnate. I just don’t want to look like an idiot. I mean, the ideas that I have make sense to me. I believe they would make sense to a lot of people. But I just don’t hear or see anyone thinking on the same lines. But when I do mention some of my ideas to my fiance or close friends, they all go “yeah! that makes sense!”.

    I’m going to get there. I’ll keep pushing on. This book could really help me embrace uncertainty and fear.

    Thanks for allowing me to share!

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 4:37 pm
    • Miles
    • Said...

    I’m working as an English teacher in Peru. For over a year, I’ve been thinking about starting a travelling library in a rural zone of villages in the mountains. This month I took the first step toward making this happen by deciding to work only weekends and spend the week in the mountains. I have a lot of fears. Having only a basic ability to speak the native language (Quechua, I do speak Spanish very well). Not having many materials (books, papers to make books). Not having a lot of skills (how exactly should I start a project like this?). Developing a career (am I wasting my time? Should I do something that would make me money?). And perhaps most of all, how can will I know if my project is having an impact? How can I make something sustainable?
    In spite of all these fears, I still think it could be a good idea. When I bring books, the children love to look at them and borrow them. They’ll knock on my door and say, “please can we borrow a book?” And they’ll sit outside reading to each other and enjoying the pictures. When I visit a friend of mine, the first thing her 3 year old daughter does, is grab my bag and ask if I have the book with the dinosaurs.
    So there is fear and there is inspirations and any guidance as to how I can reconcile the two would be great.

    • Miles, your post is one that won a book, I see. And so I went right to it, and saw that you are working in Peru. I know someone who worked there for a time and fell in love with the Peruvian people, and did some venturing up into the mountains. He was there when the big earthquake came and devastated Chimpote (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/events/1970_05_31.php) and was central in the rescue efforts. His heart is still broken from the terrible death toll and heartbreaking injuries that happened in that event.

      He will be very much interested in your post, which I will forward to him. He is writing a book about this time, and if you are willing, would be so interested to know if you are working near Chimpote, and what you are learning about the people he so loved.

      Bless you. Susan

        • On
        • October 13, 2011 at 2:50 pm
        • Miles
        • Said...

        Hi Susan–
        Peru really is a lovely and very diverse place. I’m several hours north of Ancash/Chimbote, but I have visited the area where your friend was working. I’d be interested learning more about his book!
        Best wishes to you-

        • Miles, I’d like to take this conversation off the forum board and tell you a bit about the friend and about the book. He is a senior by now (as am I) and not in good health. But he has a tale to tell. I’m trying to help him get it on paper. You might be able to give us up to date descriptions of the area and how the current folks live and interact. (sociological/anthropological observations) that would help. But in any case, I don’t like to talk about his business on a public forum.

          Thanks so much for writing. It means a lot to know someone else close to the place. All the best. Susan

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 5:28 pm
    • PILI
    • Said...

    Hi, Jen!
    I have been fighting uncertainty in my life for so long! Trying to have all the answers, getting more and more information, reading, searching… instead of just… living!
    Because life is uncertain. That is the way it is. Once we accept it, we stop worrying about failure and begin breathing again…
    I am still in the process!

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 6:04 pm
    • Elise
    • Said...

    I remember leaving college, fresh from the deans list leaping headfirst into a world I was ready to change with my Psychology training, but that didn’t offer a concrete score board for my performance. That was and still is tough. I liked grades, they gave me a sense of warm and cozy mental peace; I was “good”. I’ve now been in a business that I sort of fell into, which is not at all related to my chosen education and profession. The coziness returned, I’ve made millions, yes I’m serious. By those standards I’m “good”. But it’s a false sense of coziness. I’m dead inside. This is not where I want to be, nor is it where I should be. I’m just absolutely paralyzed, I have tons of creative ideas for great new directions, but a gripping fear to walk one step into any of them. I have built a life around the business that I currently run, and feel like it’s the foundation for a lifestyle unsustainable without it’s existence. I’ve also realized that within the lifestyle does not lie happiness and fulfillment, in other words money can’t buy happiness, which I did indeed know all along. I need a career path that does provide those things. I’m ready to move, need to move on. I realize I do not have an endless supply of days, and I’m not willing to go any further on a lucrative path that’s devoid of professional fulfillment.

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 7:54 pm
    • Derek
    • Said...

    Living with fear is a painful thing to suffer through. Doing so over the majority of my life makes me ask the question ‘Where would I be if I had/hadn’t….?’ Luckily, I’ve ended up at a good spot in my life. However, I still live every day fearful of what others might think if I do this or that. I do my best to affirm that I don’t care what others think, and that other people really don’t care. Doing this helps, but internally I still act as though others are watching, waiting to judge me.

    I’m still young, in my 20′s, but I feel like, and I’ve been told, I’m in a quarter-life crisis. Dropping out of college when I was young, not following my passions when I had the opportunity, and now, being in a situation where following my passion is seemingly impossible (job, wife, kid, mortgage, etc).

    I’m not giving up easily. I’ve discovered how to use opportunities in my current job/career to direct me towards my passion and dreams. (Currently working in mid-entry-level technology, wanting to move into engineering & physics)

    We only have one go-around at life. We only have one chance to pursue our passions and dreams. I’m not letting life pass me by. It’s funny how we realize things like these, even after hearing them dozens and dozens of times throughout our life.

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 10:16 pm
    • Elizabeth
    • Said...

    Great timing, Jen. This book speaks to me and I’ll read it whether I win a copy or get one from my library (hope to win, of course! ;-) . My job in the military-defense industry has become mind- and soul-numbing and I can’t take it any more. I need to embrace uncertainty and take a leap, yet every fiber of my being is resisting this. I so hope this book can help me create the change I need.

    • On
    • October 6, 2011 at 11:49 pm
    • Mrs. Fear
    • Said...

    Hello Jennifer, you are talking to “Mrs. Fear”. There wouldn’t be any pseudonym better than this one for me. The reason? Fear is what has been northing my life for many years. All my life decisions, mainly the ones I face now, are fear-based. I’m always questioning myself: “would this choice give me security?” “Would I be able to get a good job if I follow this path?” Fear is something so huge in my life that I can’t even know anymore if I’m still passionate about the career I’ve chosen. I think I’ve become a person passionate about results and security; sometimes I think I would do anything, any type of work, if it gives me any tiny bit of the feeling of security. I’m pursuing a PhD in a field that, ironically, works with creativity in its pure form: music! I’ve been studying music since I was a child and have never done anything else in my life, which consequently brings a lot of expectations from my entire family. More important, my own expectations about myself are enormous – from a perfectionist, it couldn’t be different. Now I’m stuck with the feeling that I don’t know what to do with my life. The PhD program hasn’t been giving me satisfaction, but I’m afraid enough to quit and face all these expectations and the insecurity about the future: the first thought is “what am I going to do?? I’ve just done this my entire life!” At the same time, my fear-oriented side also screams to me that the future in remaining in the field is going to be hopeless, and I should quit the PhD program ASAP. Conclusion: both options, staying or not staying in the program, are fear-based.

    I desperately need to change this way to see things. I’m stuck and I can see how harmful being Mrs. Fear is, how it kills my creativity, my potential, and my belief in myself. I think this book may be a great start, and I would be really, really grateful if I get one!

  37. WOW, was this a hard decision. I really am just blown away by the responses, the things you are struggling with but also the determination you are all showing find happiness and fulfillment. It’s … wonderful!

    So after much deliberation, here are the winners:

    1: Susan (SGHolland)
    2: Miles
    3: Mrs. Fear
    4: Michelle
    5: Crafty Newbie

    Yes, I realize that’s 3 more than I promised. It’s the LEAST I can do in the face of all this courage and inspiration. If any of the other Everyday Bright readers would like to donate to this cause, I’ll pick up the shipping charges.

    You guys are amazing. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. The other thing I’ll do is respond to everyone personally over the next week and give you at least some brief things to think about with regards to your situation.

    You are luminaries in the truest sense of the word. Keep shining.

      • On
      • October 7, 2011 at 4:52 pm
      • Michelle
      • Said...

      Wow! So happy I’m one of the lucky ones :)

      Jen, thank you for this opportunity, for your so kind words and thanks for the time you’ll give me with your response.

      Message to all these lovely people here: I truly hope we can all sort out our fears and be free to express ourselves and our creativity.

      • On
      • October 10, 2011 at 12:02 pm
      • Minni
      • Said...

      What a shame, but I’ll buy it anyway… Just by writing the post and putting a note of my blog (didn’t so far spread it in any way) made me work harder on it (and I truly love blogging) and now a few days later it is in much better shape. So win anyway. :)

  38. Oh my goodness! I am astounded and goosebumpy! Winning something aside (it happens nearly never in my life), the company I am keeping here is just wonderful. Thank you for your good shot in the arm, Jennifer. I can’t wait to read the book, and will treasure it for a lot of reasons other than a trophy.

    (I’ll buy more to share around…okay? It’s a good thing, as M.Stewart famously said.

    Bless you, and all the others moving through fear to one aha at a time. Sincerely, Susan

    • Susan,
      Please, save your money for yourself for now. When you’re back on your feet and working that dream job, then you can pay it forward and bring up the next group of career changers. It’s kinda like what they say on the airplane: in the case of sudden decompression, please put on your own mask before assisting others. :)

      Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the book and what you decide to do afterwards!

    • On
    • October 7, 2011 at 5:06 pm
    • Sara
    • Said...

    I’ve just moved to LA and barely have any friends here. I’m too afraid to open up and show who I am, afraid of judgments, never having been in a relationship and even having a hard time being fully honest with my closest friends across state. I’d like to start a new career but I’m afraid of failing, because what if I put in years of effort/money and wasted opportunities only to find out that this wasn’t my passion? So basically it’s like I’m living in a cage where I can’t be happy because I’m afraid of showing up, but I did jump in even though I don’t have the confidence for it.

    Thanks for reading.

    • On
    • October 9, 2011 at 3:35 pm
    • J
    • Said...

    Hi Jen,
    Sorry for straying off topic a bit, but I just want to say thanks for your great advice. I found your webinar on zenhabits by chance, and I can honestly say that it’s the best career advice I have seen, and I’ve been looking (on and off) for a few years now. Maybe it’s because we’re both scientists and share the same personality type! I really like the analytical approach, and you’re including a few things that usually get neglected – core values, and anti-passions, for example. Most other career advice focusses a lot on skills and strengths, reasoning that whatever you’re good at will make you happy. But what if you’re good at nearly everything and believe that all skills can be learned anyway? You end up with way too many options, and confused. I think your way provides the extra criteria that are needed to decide. Somewhere on here someone complains that your blog reads “like eHow”. I actually think that’s a great compliment – a step-by-step guide to happiness, what more could you want? Thanks!

  41. Pingback: A Wish Come Clear » What To Do When You Are Afraid (& Some Big News)

    • On
    • October 21, 2011 at 8:45 am
    • Sherri
    • Said...

    I believe fear is what is holding me back in every area of my life. It is holding me back from my biggest dream and the only thing I really want to do. I would love to read this book and make changes in my life so I can finally be successful at what I love and feel passionate about.

    • Hi Sherri,
      The contest is over unfortunately, but I do highly recommend the book. Think of it like you’re supporting a great cause, where the great cause is YOU! :)