What fear has held you back the most in your life?

Fear is something we all carry, though it shows up differently for each of us. It can keep us safe, but it can also hold us back from opportunities, relationships, and growth. We asked some brilliant members of the community to share the one fear that has shaped their choices the most—and their answers reveal just how universal, yet deeply personal, our struggles with fear really are.

Melissa Farley

Fear was a constant in my upbringing. I grew up surrounded by people who made nearly every decision through the lens of fear, and for a long time, I unknowingly did the same. When I finally realized I didn’t want to live like that anymore, I dedicated an entire year to being intentional about not letting fear run my life. Read more>>

Erin Ellis

Failure. For a long time, I equated failure with inadequacy—like if I didn’t get it right the first time, it meant I wasn’t good enough or shouldn’t try again. That fear kept me playing small, second-guessing my intuition, and hesitating to take bold leaps—even when I knew I was capable. But facing something as life-altering as cancer forced me to redefine failure. Read more>>

Mike McDonald

Failure. For a long time, I equated failure with inadequacy—like if I didn’t get it right the first time, it meant I wasn’t good enough or shouldn’t try again. That fear kept me playing small, second-guessing my intuition, and hesitating to take bold leaps—even when I knew I was capable. But facing something as life-altering as cancer forced me to redefine failure. Read more>>