Fear Is Not Your Enemy: How to Use It to Fuel Your Best Self

Update: 2025-10-15

Description

In this episode of Paradigm Shifting Books, Stephen and Britain Covey explore a core principle from Dr. Craig Manning’s The Fearless Mind, how to turn fear into focus. Drawing from Dr. Manning’s work with Olympians, NBA champions, and top business leaders, they unpack the truth that fear cannot be eliminated but it can be reframed and redirected.

Britain opens up about one of the most pressure-filled experiences in sports: returning punts in the NFL before a stadium of 80,000 fans. He shares a deeply personal poem, Your Bravest Self, written as a reminder that courage is not the absence of fear, but the choice to move forward despite it. Together, they discuss how learning to carry fear rather than silence it, can unlock calm, clarity, and confidence.

They close with three simple, actionable steps inspired by Dr. Manning’s teachings: breathe, anchor, and act. They explain how these can help anyone, whether you are facing a high-stakes meeting, a big presentation, or a defining moment in life.

Tune in to discover how to reframe fear as your invitation to focus and perform at your best when it matters most.

What We Discuss

[00:00 ] Introduction
[00:17 ] Turning fear into focus from The Fearless Mind
[02:22 ] Britain’s real-life experience facing fear in the NFL
[04:33 ] The poem “Your Bravest Self” and its meaning
[08:19 ] Redirecting fear
[10:02 ] Three steps to turn fear into focus
[11:51 ] Free throw routine analogy

Notable Quotes

[01:33 ] “You can't eliminate fear, but you can train your mind to handle it differently.” — Stephen
[08:17 ] “It's okay to feel fear. Stop trying to silence it, stop trying to get rid of it. You just redirect it.” — Britain
[09:00 ] “'I think the best version of you is the one who feels all the fear and the struggle and still goes through it.” — Britain
[14:07 ] “Do not see fear as your enemy. It's your invitation to focus.” — Stephen
[10:47 ] “I literally reminded myself when I was feeling the fear to take a deep breath, anchor myself, and then take action.”— Stephen

Resources

Paradigm Shifting Books

Books