Fearlessness. What does it mean? In the dictionary, it’s defined simply as a lack of fear. I’m sure we’ve all heard the term before, and plenty of examples exist to conceptualize this. But what does it mean to have a lack of fear? What exactly does that look like? What characteristics feed into being fearless? How do you get to that point? And how easy is it to get to that point?
As we move into the new month, I thought about the answers to these questions. I thought of common examples and how they apply to me personally. While it can be tough to be fearless, you certainly don’t have to be a warrior or hero to do it. That said, I challenged myself to come up with some core tenets. It’s not an exhaustive list and may look different from your list of fearlessness tenets. However, I think it’s a good one to use either as reference or a personal checklist.
Self-Assurance
Whether you think you’re fearless or not, self-assurance is a great characteristic to have. This belief and understanding in yourself can boost you in any challenges that you face, fear included. People around you can support you to the best of their ability, but at the end of the day, you are all that you have. You can be your best company if you have that internal understanding.
One example of this in action that comes to mind is the peer-pressure scenario. Say you’re with a group of people and they start trying to pressure you into doing something you aren’t comfortable with, like smoking or heavy drinking. A level of fear arises in this situation, especially the closer you are to them. What would happen if you said no? Would it be better to just go along with it? Having that self-assurance to know where to stand your ground can help ease those hard questions. Depending on how your friends react, you can also assess how they are with respecting your boundaries and beliefs.
Self-assurance is tied to self-esteem. Without it, understanding yourself can be challenging. For me, that was the case until I started working on it a few years ago. Getting into the swing of knowing what I’m comfortable with and expressing those boundaries to others felt scary at first. Even more scary, some “friends” of mine weren’t always receptive to me when I started doing that. However, I found that in order to stand your ground against that fear, you need a foundation to stand on. In those situations, knowing where I stand and being stern about it set a good foundation for me.
Initiative
Like anything, the journey towards becoming something new typically starts from within. Starting can be the hardest part. That first step plays a crucial role in becoming fearless. Anything from applying for a job, starting a workout regimen, or simply treating yourself has to start somewhere. Finding the drive to start can be a big boost.
There’s an old proverb that goes, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Initiative plays a key role in that. In terms of fearlessness, the same can apply to within. Take, for example, any of the examples that I mentioned earlier. Any of those goals can be daunting to start working towards, such as starting a workout regimen. Just considering it can cause questions and uncertainty to bubble up. Can I fit it into my schedule? What would it even look like? What if I do it the wrong way?
Personally speaking, starting a workout regimen was difficult at first. Plenty of those questions also arose for me, and still do even to this day. However, that first step of crafting a routine and putting it to work helped me initiate that change in my life. I came to the conclusion that making change for the better is an investment in myself. The same can be said for any lifestyle change, and overcoming the fear of that first step is paramount.
Resilience
Having the initiative to overcome fear plays a vital role in fearlessness. Equally, sustaining that fearless mindset is just as important. There are bound to be setbacks and challenges, weaving uncertainty into your mind. However, having that ability to bounce back and continue pressing on cultivates not only fearlessness but self-assurance and initiative.
There are countless examples of resilience in our society. One that comes to mind is when cities or towns face tragedy. At the time of this post, the residents in areas hit hard by Hurricane Helene face much uncertainty. Bare necessities are dwindling, and for some, that might be all they have left. However, resilience within the communities and across the nation overcomes the fear and uncertainty. Whether it’s uniting to help one another out or simply pressing forward and surviving, this demonstration of resilience epitomizes fearlessness.
(Note: If you would like to help those affected by Hurricane Helene, here is a list of national and state-specific organizations accepting donations for relief efforts.)
Of course, resilience doesn’t only come up in the wake of unprecedented tragedy. Resiliency can also occur on a smaller scale. For me, my resiliency came in academically bouncing back. My first semester in college was challenging for multiple reasons. I was having trouble adjusting to college life and I had no direction on what I wanted to do in school. Things got so bad that I ended up being academically suspended. While suspended, I remember the uncertainty I had about my future. Despite this, I took a year to reflect and recharge, and worked hard once I returned. Since then, I found something I feel passionate about, and I’ve aced nearly all my classes since. Resilience can be practiced, no matter the size of the challenge.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is another term that comes up but can be difficult to conceptualize. For the purpose of fearlessness, I see it as a catalyst that facilitates overcoming fear. It’s the ability to be present in the moment, acknowledging where the fear is, and being level-headed towards its resolution.
Moreover, having the mindfulness to not only help yourself, but to help empathize with others can be a powerful tool. This comes in handy especially in situations of conflict.
Take, for example, having to deal with someone unruly while at a job. If you’re like me, confronting someone like this about their behavior may seem like a titanic task. However, being aware of the situation and carefully considering your feelings and the intent behind others feelings can help conquer that fear and de-escalate the situation. Putting it into practice may not always be easy, but having that level-headed approach can go a long way in challenging situations. Best-case scenario, it can inspire that person to apologize or change their ways.
This can be a challenging tenet to practice. Just like with self-assurance, outside sources can affect it. It’s hard to predict how someone or something will be, which adds to the fear factor. As I said, if you’re like me that conflict can be a nightmare to imagine. It’s unfortunately a scenario that I face a lot at my retail job. Nevertheless, I’ve found that these customers often just need to feel heard, whether by me or a manager. And while some express it better than others, being mindful of that need can help ease even the most unruly of customers.
Courage
Perhaps it goes without saying that to be fearless, there’s a level of courage needed. Despite how obvious that may seem, I saved this for last because it's present—to some degree—in all tenets previously listed. Simultaneously, I see it as one of the most foundational tenets of fearlessness. Courage is not simply the absence of fear but rather the ability to act in spite of it.
Thinking back on the previous examples, courage is intertwined with each one. It presents itself through staying true to yourself, initiating change for the better, bouncing back from adversity, and being mindful of those who may not reciprocate. Despite the uncertainty those scenarios might present, courage provides the energy to push those fears aside and overcome them regardless of the odds.
While this may seem like another difficult tenet to practice, I think practice isn’t necessary for gaining courage. In my opinion, courage exists in all of us. It’s just a matter of channeling that and putting it to use. Even in something small, such as making a phone call or trying a new activity, courage can be cultivated.
Fearlessness To Me
Which brings us back to square one. Fearlessness. What does it mean? To me, it stretches far beyond merely an absence of fear. It’s the ability to act in spite of it. Fearlessness isn’t just an adjective but a verb as well. It is action that originates from within. Fear may be a universal human experience, but fearlessness can be, too. It’s a mindset that has to be cultivated from within and channeled outward.
At the root of it, courage exists in everyone. It takes courage to be confident and understand yourself. This understanding translates into driven, sustainable change. It takes courage to not only sustain this change but to lead by example and be the change you want to see around you. To me, fearlessness can be achieved by anyone. As long as you have the tenets in place, you’ll get there in no time.
About the Author
Brendan is a senior at UNLV, and is currently majoring in Journalism. He is set to graduate in Fall 2024. With his concentration in digital/social media, he hopes to become a social media manager and content creator one day. He also hopes to grow not only personally, but also grow LYF's message this semester! Some of his passions include cosplay, video games, anime, and writing.
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