WRITING PROMPT | ENGAGE

When Fears Kill Dreams: Navigating the Bridge Between Anxiety and Ambition

Over the years, I’ve come to understand that fear is one of the most significant barriers to realizing my ambitions

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been told to chase my dreams. To reach for the stars. But, just as dreams can propel us to great heights, fears can shackle us to the ground.

Many in my age group will remember Casey Kasem, who said every week on American Top 40, “Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars.”

Perhaps that is the recipe for success — it certainly worked for him.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

In the age of Instagram, Meta, formerly Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter, seeing our peers traveling, achieving, laughing, and seemingly living their best lives is a daily event.

In the days right after I retired from the US Army, the social media giants were MySpace, Tagged, and Friendster. I recall hours of scrolling and the subsequent feelings of envy and regret.