Topic Guide
What Is Fear?
Fear is a subject covered in depth across 5 podcast episodes in our database. Below you'll find key concepts, expert insights, and the top episodes to listen to — all distilled from hours of conversation by leading experts.
Key Concepts in Fear
Emotional set point
This refers to an individual's baseline emotional state, which Mike Posner describes as his 'emotional home base.' He claims he successfully changed his personal set point from depression and negativity to joy, faith, and love, highlighting that this core emotional state is not fixed and can be transformed through intentional internal work.
Significance vs. love
Posner and Ed Mylett discuss how many people, especially those who achieve public recognition, confuse external significance or acknowledgment with genuine love. This misunderstanding, often originating in childhood, leads individuals to 'outsource' or 'crowdsource' a superficial form of love, which ultimately leaves them feeling empty because it's not true connection.
Three stages of artistry (or human interaction)
Mike Posner outlines a progression in an artist's (or anyone's) relationship with their audience/others: (1) 'Puppy Love' – initial recognition brings a hit of significance, perceived as love; (2) 'Disillusionment' – pain occurs when external validation or popularity wanes; (3) 'Service' – genuine contribution to others after addressing internal flaws, fostering real love and joy.
Negativity bias of the mind
The episode explains that the human mind evolved to keep us safe, acting as a 'scanning device for what's wrong' to detect potential dangers. This inherent 'negativity bias' means the mind is not designed to make us happy, and identifying solely with it will prevent fulfillment because 'your soul is way bigger than the mind.'
The jew man group
A comedic concept proposed by Howie Mandel for a performance group that would 'just sit at a buffet and talk about what the next meal is going to be.' It showcases his unique brand of observational and self-deprecating humor.
Csi howie
Howie Mandel's self-assigned, humorous moniker for his personal routine of using a black light to meticulously inspect hotel rooms for stains and contaminants due to his OCD. This highlights his detailed, almost investigative, approach to managing his environment for cleanliness.
What Experts Say About Fear
- 1.A lack of success, abundance, and peace often stems from the desire to control everything, which actually blocks what you want.
- 2.Hustling and extreme discipline without addressing underlying fears or wounds ("healing first") is ultimately unsustainable and leads to emptiness.
- 3.Recognize signs of control in your life, such as feeling guilty when resting, needing to know every outcome before taking action, or micromanaging others.
- 4.Letting go of attachment to specific outcomes allows for greater opportunities and aligns you with a larger plan, shifting motivation from fear to faith in the process.
- 5.Shift from being outcome-driven to process-driven, focusing on who you are becoming daily and loving the journey, rather than just the end goal.
- 6.Overcome the fear of other people's opinions by embracing vulnerability and authenticity, understanding that true connection comes from truth, not a highlight reel.