What keeps you from doing the things you really want to do?
Most people would answer that question with a single word: fear.
Oh, they might give an answer that points to a scarcity mindset: they don’t have enough money, enough time, enough support from the people around them. But those excuses are like clouds obscuring the view of the truth: they’re a little scared.
For example, perhaps you’re here, a part of this Substack conversation, because you really want to travel—to wander and see more of the world. But truth be told, that sounds a little scary. Or maybe you’re interested in living a life of welcome, but the idea sounds a little intimidating.
I’m a member of several Facebook groups that focus on solo travel, and many of the members turn to the group when they’re feeling a bit nervous or apprehensive about traveling. They express gratitude for encouragement that helps them face their fears and take risks.
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk: https://www.pexels.com/
Don’t get me wrong: fear is a gift that sometimes keeps us safe. Some risks are best avoided. But many times, fear keeps us from doing things that, ironically, would boost our bravery. When we feel the fear and do it anyway, we realize that we are capable of far more than we ever gave ourselves credit for.
We don’t get brave first, then do scary things. We get braver by doing those things that frighten us, pushing through them to discover our own bad-assery. We do hard things to learn that we can do hard things. But how can we live that way consistently?
Think about something that you’d really like to do. Now, imagine doing it—blind.
A couple of years ago I met a brave man named Michael Hingson. Blind since birth, Mike (and his wise parents) never let that slow him down. His parents advocated for him, but not for special treatment. He attended school (before mainstreaming was a thing) and played in his neighborhood beside his sighted brother and friends. He even learned to ride a bike. He lived an ordinary life, going to college, getting married, and working in sales and information technology. From age 14 on, he walked through life with a guide dog. (He’s had eight dogs over the years.)
People often mistakenly believe that a guide dog leads the blind handler. That’s not how it works. The handler must direct the dog, and the dog helps his handler avoid obstacles. For example, when Mike used to commute into New York City from his home in New Jersey, he had to tell his dog to turn right or left, to move forward to board a train, and so on. It’s a beautiful partnership, almost a dance.
Mike was working as a regional sales manager for a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Manhattan on September 11, 2001. He and his colleagues were in their office on the 78th floor of Tower One when the plane collided with that building just a few floors above them. Mike and his guide dog Roselle carefully descended 1,463 stairs to escape the tower, offering inspiration and encouragement to others along the way. The story of that day is the subject of Mike’s first book, Thunder Dog, written with Susy Flory. It quickly became a bestseller.
Mike and I met because he wanted to write another book, this one on how to overcome fear. He and I began meeting every week (typically via Zoom). Those conversations and collaborations eventually became a book: Live like a Guide Dog: True Stories from a Blind Man and His Dogs about Being Brave, Overcoming Adversity, and Moving Forward in Faith.
Just co-writing this book inspired me to live braver, and I know reading it will do the same for you. Fear is a normal human response to threats, and this book shows you how fear can be a positive thing that equips you to deal with any situation. We can learn how to turn our fear into courage.
The great news is that you can preorder a copy today from your favorite retailer. The book releases this summer, but I’d love it, if you’re thinking, “I’d like to read that book,” to order it now.
It’s available from any book retailer, including:
Preorders are so important because they help publishers gauge interest. You might think that if not many people preorder a book, the publisher responds by investing in more marketing. But the opposite is true. Lots of preorders actually inspire publishers give a book more attention and marketing efforts, because they show consumer interest.
Readers often don’t realize that the best way to support their favorite authors is to pre-order their books.
In writing this book with Michael, I learned so much about guide dogs and their training. (I also got to visit a puppy training class at Canine Companions, which was as awesome as it sounds.) I also learned a lot about simple strategies like preparation, awareness and even empathy can help us to live courageously.
The book has adorable and heartwarming dog stories, of course, but it’s also the inspiring story of a man who refused to let blindness keep him from accomplishing extraordinary things. And it’s a book that just might help you to bravely do the things you’ve always wanted to do.
Placed my pre-order. Looking forward to some great late summer reading:)