Fear Is the Enemy: Why Action Beats Hesitation
Doubt is normal. But the only way to win is to move forward, not stand still.
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This week, I’ve been on the fence about making an offer on a building. And I admit it—I’ve been waffling. But now, it’s time to decide.
In life and business we all doubt ourselves. Even legendary investors like Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone felt it when starting out—he wrote about it in What It Takes.
Doubt always brings a choice: give in to fear or push forward with ambition.
Lately, my son and I have been watching Churchill At War. Churchill’s unwavering belief that he was doing the right thing—leading Britain against the Nazis—allowed him to push past fear. His conviction inspired an entire nation.
In real estate, fear is the enemy of action.
Hesitate too long, and you lose. But when you take action, you learn. About the process, the market, the seller, the broker, and most importantly—yourself. Every deal, every negotiation, every challenge teaches you something. And that knowledge compounds.
Real estate, like sports, isn’t about spectating. You have to play the game.
Think about it: watching a video of Laird Hamilton surfing a monster wave in Hawaii doesn’t mean you can do it. It’s just an illusion of experience.
I was listening to Andrew Huberman’s podcast with Josh Waitzkin, a chess prodigy turned martial arts world champion. This quote hit me hard:
“So many kids and young people think that watching something is the same as doing it…It’s not”. - Andrew Huberman
***As an aside, this guy Josh Waitzkin is super inspiring, from chess prodigy to martial arts world champion…learn more about him in the Post-Script.***
This isn’t just about us—our kids need to understand it too. If they don’t, they’ll spend their lives watching others live instead of experiencing it themselves. They’ll scroll past excitement instead of feeling it.
And that’s a loss.
So here’s my challenge: Do something hard today. Step into the arena. Face your fears.
For me, that means writing the offer I’ve been hesitating on.
What’s yours?
Cheers,
John
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Post Script…
Josh Waitzkin was a chess prodigy, he became a world-class martial artist, and now spends his time training in the watersport of foiling.
This is amazing, thank you!