We all deal with the fear of survival on a daily basis. "Will I be good enough?" "Have I done enough?" and "What if it's not enough?" are common examples of fear-based self-talk. Even though it can be easy to let our fears define our reality, which actions we decide to take as a result of our fears define who we truly are.
We can sometime experience our fears as a comparative experience: "If I don't work/study/try hard enough, I will lose _____." When we get into situations where we compare our current state of being with an expectation against something or someone else (even if it's a past or future version of ourselves or our work), we can experience a great deal of disharmony.
Fear can also show up as a barricade, preventing us from taking the next step and keeping us in familiar patterns. "Don't do that; you won't be successful." Sometimes fear is absolutely warranted and keeps us out of harm's way. However, fear can also be a catalyst for change and personal evolution. It emboldens us to break out of our chains and end cycles and patterns that we no longer want to define us.
The presence of fear can be a great asset. Fear shows us that we care about something enough not to lose/risk/destroy it. When we experience fear, we are saying, "I'll do whatever is within my power not to risk losing control over this. I will stay within my comfort zone, if that's what it takes."
Normally, when we listen to fear, we fail to see what fear is preventing us from seeing: an experience of ourselves that is not limited by that fear. The idea of playing to win versus playing not to lose is very appropriate here. When we play not to lose, we play into those limited parts of ourselves that keep us inhibited and limited. When we play to win, we will do whatever it takes to win, including conquering our worst fears, if needed.
Fear can serve us in showing us what specifically we need to overcome in order to win, while it can also show us the barricades that keep us "paralyzed in fear" and just surviving, instead of thriving. The next time you experience fears of your own, get to know them, question them, and ask yourself if your belief in them is helping you become the best version of yourself?