The Grueling Demand of Facing Fear. By Dante A. Musquis B. In the last broadcast, we discussed a free zone that possesses ambivalent characteristics. While it restores and comforts, it can also limit or constrain initiatives and actions that generate results. This environment physically can be as small as a chair, the steps of a staircase, a bed, a corner of the house, or a small natural habitat. Emotionally, it is not measurable, but it is perceptible both to oneself and to others, and, as we mentioned then, the first boundary markers are established based on the direct influences surrounding our childhood years. Stemming from a natural fall during the process of learning to walk, the reaction of parents and caregivers can produce two primary responses: reaction, negative and rejection, or introspection, adjustment, and repetition. Thus, during the first years of life, we shape and refine our personality by combining curiosity and initiative, the potential that emerges alongside stumbles and failures, pain and scolding, as well as the perspectives and admonitions, encouragement or scorn, impulses or mockery that we receive from those around us. Now we even consider the affirmations or rejections that arise from social media. This is a phase of incipient definition because we adopt patterns and behaviors that, at first glance, make us feel secure in certain matters, such as disliking liver with onions or preferring only one flavor when ordering ice cream. Initial paradigms will be challenged when interacting in other environments with other people in this new phase, which we call the training phase. Here, each experience will involve facing challenges and taking risks to achieve more andor better results. The newfound comfort zone is put to the test, and with it, our temperament and decision-making ability to leave and return to it. Obviously, some challenges don't involve risk, and some risks are so critical that undertaking such a task isn't even considered. In any case, the result can be reinforcing, I still don't like liver or adaptive, I want to try other ice cream flavors. As experiences accumulate, each person will theoretically recognize what they can and cannot achieve, and how far they can go using their physical, mental, emotional, and social potential. In practice, however, some people may become ingrained with barriers and limitations so seemingly solid that the introduction of new approaches could be reduced to a very small number of possibilities. We say seemingly because they are still susceptible to responding to specific and timely stimuli that propel them forward. The best example I know involves the students who have passed through our classroom, where many members of each group swore up and down that we planned, prepared, and arranged subjects, objectives, activities, assignments, group projects, presentations, exams, and final papers with the sole and deliberate intention of disrupting the smooth, peaceful progress they had enjoyed in school up to that point. Others, more cunning, adopted an arrogant, nonchalant, or even cynical attitude while trying to sabotage the academic work. Anything went, the rain, the unclear, the extra classes, the long weekend, etc., we would need many additions to recount their relentless efforts to haggle over every requirement. What's the lowest you can go, teacher? It took me some time to discover that, underlying it all entrenched like a neglected vine on a wall, was a worrying dose of fear that contaminated every challenge and made them appear as risks. And since risk, by definition, implies fear, dread, uncertainty, and for the more apprehensive unease, anguish, terror, the origin of their reluctance is obvious. Some parents of undergraduate and even graduate students went so far as to want to meet with me, confronting me would be a better verb, so that I would adjust my expectations to their paradigms. Their children were barely sleeping and already had dark circles under their eyes. Almost all of them had failed arithmetic because they knew how to subtract from self-esteem, but couldn't add up the good points earned during the day. Accustomed to the idea that whoever kills a dog becomes a dog killer, they disregarded statistics and forgot that Lysol eliminates 99.9% of bacteria, never 100%. By nature, we evolve and are here to face challenges by taking risks. Small challenges like sitting up in the first few months of life and falling sideways. Small challenges like spelling a word correctly and making the occasional mistake. Challenges like taking a high school entrance exam and barely finishing on time. Challenges like compiling a monthly financial statement for an entire corporation and having to correct data sporadically. Big challenges like repelling are not for novices. We apprentices will go through explanations of knots, lashings, and practice at heights just sufficient to gradually gain confidence and skill. Life doesn't demand winning at everything, all the time. Life doesn't demand relentless, persistent, and unwavering triumph. Life doesn't demand great things, it only expects us to face, achieve, and overcome the challenge that each day presents, and that tomorrow can be even better. Our worst fear cannot be focused on incompetence, noncompliance, or failures. Our greatest fear should be seeing and accepting ourselves settled in a comfort zone so wide and vast that it degrades the spirit and the intention to be, want, do and have more. I have known and heard many people exclaim, on cloudy days and with winds of discouragement. Who am I to be so great, so strong, and able to achieve the goals I set for myself? Over the years I have seen and recognized countless students and friends advance, achieve, improve, progress, and perfect themselves, facing their fears, taking risks, and accepting challenges once they transform their thinking into the question. Who am I not to achieve everything I have set out to do by using my potential and pursuing continuous improvement? What question remains in your mind today?