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Turning Fear into Confidence—A Personal Essay

October 14, 2020

Facing obstacles throughout your life is inevitable, and the obstacles you overcome can define who you are as a person. Not only will this build character and self-confidence, it will show others how strong you remained and inspire them to overcome their own challenges.

But overcoming obstacles is no simple task. Most obstacles are incredibly hard and testing. Yet, by overcoming them, you will come to understand why they are important. The significance of overcoming obstacles in life is to make you more grounded, courageous, and wise. For me, one of these life-altering obstacles emerged during my undergraduate years.

I had a serious fear of public speaking. There were times where I would struggle with presentations and in-class discussions. When these sessions would take place, my fear built up in a pressure cooker of discouragement and convulsive anguish. I felt humiliated before my teachers, partners, and most of all, my close friends. I soon realized, however, that the same people who seemed to be the source of my fear became my lifeline, their inspirational words filling my mind and heart with positive thoughts.

Seeing my struggles, my peers tried to build me up, to increase my confidence in myself and convince me that anything, including overcoming my fear of public speaking, could be accomplished with enough enthusiasm and belief in oneself.

The obstacles we face in life can distort how we see ourselves and cripple our ability to face our fears. By facing these conflicts head on, though, we can completely flip their effect on us, transforming them into experiences that strengthen our resilience and push the boundaries of what we think is possible to achieve.

Taking everything into account everything I’ve learned from this experience and many others like it that I’ve encountered in my life, it’s clear that obstacles are impossible to avoid, and when you do encounter them, you must view them as learning opportunities. You might just surprise yourself at how easily you overcome them.

fear overcoming reason essay

This post was written by Duke TIP’s outgoing Marketing & Communications intern, Christina Gordon. Christina graduated from North Carolina Central University in the spring of 2020.

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About Duke TIP

The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization that has served over three million academically talented students in grades 4–12 since it was founded in 1980. Collaborating with educators and parents, TIP helps gifted students assess the extent of their academic abilities with above-grade-level testing, recognizes them for their achievements, and provides them with a variety of enrichment benefits as well as accelerated face-to-face and online educational programs.

Fear: Definition, Effects, and Overcoming Essay

Effects of fear, how to overcome fear.

Webster’s dictionary defines fear as “an unpleasant, sometimes strong emotion caused by an anticipation or awareness of danger” or “anxious concern” Fear is a feeling that causes agitation and anxiety mostly caused by presence or imminence of danger. It is a state or condition marked by feeling of agitation or anxiety. It can also be described as a feeling of disquiet. Fear is an abstract concept and may have different meanings. Holder (2007) adds that fear is more pervasive when there is lack of faith that we have greater significance in the universe than what we own or how others perceive us.

Fear is manifested in many ways in human beings. It may manifest as showing signs of withdrawing or by cowering. But the most profound manifestation of fear is anger and hatred. People acts out their insecurity as anger which shows that they are the most fearful people.

Effects of fear have been documented in many studies. Fear has been documented to case mind paralyses, heart attacks and closure of fallopian tube due to fear of pain during child birth (Jim Rohn, 2004), describes fear, indifference, indecision, doubt, worry and timidness as the five greatest enemies within us which can destroy our lives completely. Fear may manifest itself in physical short term effects or affect your whole life. It will affect both he physiology of the body and the brain. Fear generates stress which manifests itself physically in many signs physically and emotionally. It causes judgmental errors and affects our reasoning that most of time when we are in a fearful situation; we tend to take the wrong action.

According to Sidney B., (1988), fear is a great paralyzer. It will keep you from making positive changes in your life and thus retard your recovery from depression. He continues to argue that fear persuades you to set easier goals and do less than your capability. It will also cause internal defense system fooling you that you have good reasons not to change. Fear of failure reduces the available alternatives you can pursue because you cannot stand by the outcome of what you do. You always feel that you cannot succeed in anything you try. It will keep you away from seeking help because you don’t want others to see you as a failure. Fear has been identified by psychologist as what causes people to give up when they are one step short to their goal. It will keep you stuck or make you develop unhealthy habits and behavior problems. Most of all fear keeps many people from taking risks.

Rim Rohn, (2004), argues that we are not born with courage, neither are we born with fear. He argues that some of our fears are brought on by our own experiences by what someone has told us or what we read in papers and books. Sri Swami Sivananda, (2007), describes fear as an illusion that cannot live. He suggests that to overcome fear we should always feel the presence of a Supreme Being watching us, by meditating and developing positive thoughts all the time. We should devote ourselves to eradicating fear. Since we have seen that fear is developed within our minds, it can also be eradicated within our mind and hence it is just a matter of reconditioning our minds that will help us overcome fear. It is also suggesting that we should share with others our fears. In this way they will help us find solutions to the cause of fears. President Roosevelt said, “We have nothing to fear but the fear itself” hence fearing fear starts and ends with us.

Holder P. (2007): FEAR… YOUR WORST ENEMY . Web.

Rohn, J., (2004). Build courage to face the enemies within. Web.

Sidney S., (1998). Getting Unstuck: Breaking through Your Barriers to Change . Web.

Sri Sivanand, S. (2007). The Divine Life Society: How to overcome fear. Web.

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How imagination can help people overcome fear and anxiety

fear overcoming reason essay

Experimental Psychologist & Cognitive Neuroscientist, Coventry University

Disclosure statement

Valerie van Mulukom does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Coventry University provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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fear overcoming reason essay

Almost everyone has something they fear – maybe it’s spiders, enclosed spaces, or heights. When we encounter these “threats,” our hearts might begin to race, or our hands may become sweaty. This is called a threat fear response, and it exists to help us avoid potential pain.

Most of us only feel scared when a threat is present. But when the threat fear response happens even when a threat isn’t present, it can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, or anxiety. These disorders may often be treated using exposure therapy, but a new study found that something as simple as using your imagination can help people overcome fear.

Overcoming fear

Many fear-related disorders are treated using exposure therapy . This helps people “unlearn” a threat fear response by breaking the association between the “trigger” (an image or sound that causes the threat fear response) and harmful consequences of the threat, by presenting patients with the trigger but without the consequences.

For example, during therapy, soldiers with PTSD might listen to loud noises using headphones without actual exposure to a combat situation. Eventually, the person learns to separate the trigger from the expected threat outcome, and the threat fear response is reduced or eliminated.

However, exposure therapy can’t always be used for treatment, especially in cases where re-exposure could be overwhelming, or unethical (such as in cases of abuse). Some treatment methods, such as guided imagery (where therapists ask patients to form mental images to replace physical triggers), have been promising in treating fear disorders.

Imagination (the conscious simulation of something in our mind) allows patients to immerse themselves with a triggering stimulus in a controlled way, at their own pace, which is why it could be a promising new form of treatment.

How does imagination work?

Imagination is the mental simulation of things and events that are not currently being perceived. When we see the world, we construct a mental version of what we’re perceiving based on incoming sensory information and prior experience. These internal representations can become memories, or can be used to imagine future or fictitious scenarios.

Read more: Could we one day heal the mind by taking control of our dreams?

Imagination uses brain regions like the visual cortex and auditory cortex (which give our brain information from what our senses are experiencing or have experienced), and memory retrieval regions like the hippocampus (which help us use previous experiences to predict what might happen next). It uses a similar network of brain regions as perception and memory do.

Imagination and fear

When we encounter something we fear, we experience both a neural response (memory and sensory processing brain regions activate) and a physiological response to this potential threat, such as getting sweaty palms or a faster heartbeat. Imagining a threat stimulus activates emotional processes in response to the threat with a highly similar network of brain regions as when the threat stimulus is actually in front of us.

But because there’s no immediate danger when the threat is imagined, repeatedly imagining it will help detach the stimulus from the expected threat since none appears. This weakens the brain’s association between stimulus and expected outcome. As a consequence, it also reduces the neural and physiological effects that happen in response.

What researchers have found

In order to study the impact of using imagination as exposure therapy , researchers taught 66 participants to fear a relatively innocuous threat, by being administered a small electric shock upon hearing either a low or high tone. Participants were then divided into three groups.

The first group was given traditional exposure therapy, where they listened to the same sounds again, without receiving a shock. The second group was asked to imagine hearing the same sounds, also without receiving a shock. Finally, the third group just listened to bird songs and rain (also without the shock), to test the effectiveness of exposure and imagination treatment.

fear overcoming reason essay

Afterwards, the researchers played the same sounds associated with the threat (electric shocks) to the participants. Researchers measured whether the brains of participants in each group showed a threat fear response using functional magnetic resonance imaging . They then used these measurements to compare which brain regions were activated during the tests – and how strong the response was – between the three groups.

The researchers found that using imagination to reduce threat fear response worked. When subjects were re-exposed to the threat, both their threat-related brain activity and physiological responses were reduced. These reductions were equally effective as those of the exposure therapy group. The third control group that listened to bird songs and rain still had the same threat fear response upon re-exposure.

The future of treatment

This isn’t the only research that shows imagination can have similar effects to the real thing. For example, merely imagining situations has been used to increase happiness , help people feel more connected to significant others, and increase trust in strangers. What’s more, imagination can be trained .

The possibilities for cognitive therapies using imagination are seemingly endless. And since it’s a low-cost procedure (in terms of time, money, and risky outcomes), we look forward to seeing these interventions further developed and integrated into current therapies.

However, you shouldn’t attempt imagination and guided imagery therapy on your own. Always follow the advice and guidance of professional medical experts. There is some evidence that using imagination in the case of uncertain memories of abuse can lead to distorted, false memories and increased negative symptoms.

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Overcoming Fear Essay

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Table of Contents

Introduction on Overcoming Fear Essay

Fear is an emotion that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. It can manifest in various forms, such as anxiety, phobia, and panic attacks. Fear can hold us back from pursuing our dreams, taking risks, and experiencing new things. It is essential to learn how to overcome fear to achieve success and fulfillment in life. This essay will explore the different ways to overcome fear, including facing your fears, changing your mindset, seeking support, and using relaxation techniques, with the potential aid of essay writing help to further understand and articulate these methods effectively.

Facing Your Fears

The most effective way to overcome fear is to face it head-on. It may seem daunting, but confronting your fears can help you gain control over them. For instance, if you have a fear of public speaking, you could start by speaking in front of a small audience, such as friends or family members. Gradually increase the audience size until you feel comfortable speaking in front of a larger group. Similarly, if you have a fear of heights, you could try bungee jumping or skydiving to confront your fear.

Facing your fears can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding. It can help you build confidence, self-esteem, and resilience. Moreover, it can expand your comfort zone and open up new opportunities. For example, if you overcome your fear of public speaking, you may be able to advance in your career, deliver more effective presentations, and communicate more confidently with others.

Changing Your Mindset

Another way to overcome fear is to change your mindset. Fear is often the result of negative thinking patterns, such as catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking, and mind-reading. These patterns can create a self-fulfilling prophecy, where you believe the worst-case scenario will happen, and you act accordingly, which reinforces your fear.

To change your mindset, you need to challenge your negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. For example, if you have a fear of failure, you could challenge the thought that “I will never succeed” by asking yourself, “What evidence do I have to support this thought?” You may realize that you have succeeded in the past and that failure is a natural part of the learning process.

Replacing negative thoughts with positive ones can help you feel more optimistic, hopeful, and confident. It can also help you develop a growth mindset, where you view failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. This mindset can help you overcome fear and achieve your goals.

Seeking Support

Overcoming fear can be challenging, and you may need support from others. Seeking support from friends, family members, or a therapist can help you cope with your fears and develop effective strategies to overcome them.

Talking to someone who understands your fears can provide a sense of validation and empathy. Moreover, they may offer practical advice, such as relaxation techniques or exposure therapy, that can help you overcome your fears. For example, if you have a fear of flying, a therapist may suggest exposure therapy, where you gradually expose yourself to flying-related stimuli until you feel more comfortable flying.

Using Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques can help you manage your fear and anxiety. These techniques can include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga. They can help you reduce physical tension and calm your mind, which can help you feel more relaxed and less fearful.

Deep breathing involves taking slow, deep breaths through your nose and exhaling slowly through your mouth. This technique can help you reduce your heart rate and blood pressure, which can help you feel more relaxed.

Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups in your body. This technique can help you release physical tension and reduce anxiety.

Meditation involves focusing your attention on your breath or a specific object or mantra. This technique can help you clear your mind and reduce stress and anxiety.

Yoga involvesstretching and holding poses while focusing on your breath. This technique can help you improve your flexibility, balance, and strength while reducing stress and anxiety.

Using relaxation techniques can help you manage your fear and anxiety in the moment, but it may not be enough to overcome your fear in the long term. However, combining relaxation techniques with other strategies, such as facing your fears, changing your mindset, and seeking support, can be more effective.

Examples Of Overcoming Fear

Many people have overcome their fears and achieved success in their personal and professional lives. For example, J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, overcame her fear of failure and rejection by persevering through multiple rejections from publishers before finding success. Similarly, Oprah Winfrey overcame her fear of public speaking by facing her fears and becoming one of the most successful and influential media personalities in the world.

Athletes also frequently overcome fear to achieve success. For instance, Simone Biles, one of the most decorated gymnasts in history, has spoken about her fear of the “twisties,” a condition where gymnasts lose their spatial awareness mid-air. Despite experiencing the twisties during the 2021 Olympics, Biles returned to competition and won a bronze medal on the balance beam.

Why Is Overcoming Fear Important In Life?

Overcoming fear is important in life for several reasons. Firstly, fear can hold us back from pursuing our goals and dreams. For example, if someone has a fear of public speaking, they may avoid giving presentations or speaking in front of groups, limiting their opportunities for career advancement or personal growth. Overcoming this fear can help them unlock their full potential and achieve their goals.

Secondly, fear can lead to anxiety, stress, and other negative emotions that can affect our mental and physical health. Overcoming fear can help us reduce these negative emotions and improve our overall well-being.

Thirdly, fear can prevent us from experiencing new things and taking risks. Overcoming fear can help us expand our comfort zones and try new things that can lead to personal growth and self-discovery.

Finally, overcoming fear can help us build resilience and self-confidence. By facing and overcoming our fears, we can develop a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem that can help us tackle other challenges in life with greater confidence.

In summary, overcoming fear is essential for personal growth, achieving our goals, and improving our mental and physical well-being. By facing our fears and developing effective strategies to overcome them, we can unlock our full potential and lead more fulfilling lives.

What Can We Learn From Overcoming Fear?

Overcoming fear can teach us many valuable lessons that can help us in various aspects of our lives. Here are some of the key lessons we can learn from overcoming fear:

Courage and resilience:  Overcoming fear requires courage and resilience. By facing our fears and persevering through the discomfort and uncertainty, we can develop a stronger sense of these qualities, which can help us tackle other challenges in life.

Self-awareness:  Overcoming fear requires us to be aware of our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Through this process, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, our triggers, and our coping mechanisms, which can help us manage future fears and challenges more effectively.

Growth mindset:  Overcoming fear requires a growth mindset, which is the belief that we can learn and grow from our experiences, even when they are uncomfortable or challenging. This mindset can help us approach future challenges with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and adapt.

Empathy:  Overcoming fear can also help us develop empathy for others who are facing their own fears and challenges. Through our own experiences, we can better understand and relate to others who are struggling, and offer support and encouragement.

Gratitude:  Overcoming fear can also teach us to appreciate the positive aspects of our lives and the opportunities we have to grow and learn. By focusing on the positive outcomes of our efforts, we can develop a sense of gratitude that can help us maintain a positive outlook and cope with future challenges.

In summary, overcoming fear can teach us valuable lessons about courage, resilience, self-awareness, growth mindset, empathy, and gratitude. By applying these lessons to other areas of our lives, we can become more resilient, adaptable, and empathetic individuals.

In conclusion, fear is a common emotion that can hold us back from pursuing our goals and experiencing new things. However, there are many ways to overcome fear, including facing your fears, changing your mindset, seeking support, and using relaxation techniques. Overcoming fear can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding, helping you build confidence, resilience, and self-esteem. With persistence and determination, anyone can overcome their fears and achieve success in their personal and professional lives.

List Of Few Topics On Overcoming Fear Essay

  • The role of mindfulness in conquering fear
  • How to overcome a fear of public speaking
  • The benefits of facing your fears head-on
  • The psychological origins of phobias and how to overcome them
  • Overcoming the fear of failure
  • The power of positive thinking in overcoming fear
  • The role of therapy in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of heights
  • The role of physical activity in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of flying
  • The importance of support from loved ones in overcoming fear
  • The role of visualization in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of the dark
  • The role of self-affirmation in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of needles or injections
  • The role of hypnotherapy in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of water
  • The role of exposure therapy in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of snakes or other animals
  • The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of clowns or other phobias
  • The role of neurolinguistic programming in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of public transportation
  • The role of meditation in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of speaking in front of large groups
  • The role of affirmations in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of the unknown
  • The role of goal-setting in overcoming fear
  • How to overcome a fear of heights or bridges
  • How to overcome a fear of the ocean or deep water

Cooper Robinson

Cooper Robinson

Hi, I am Cooper Robinson. I am a full-time academic writer with expertise in essay writing. Having completed my Master's degree, I worked as an English professor. For six long years, I had been reading hundreds of essays with repetitive content, zero creativity, and full of copied facts. Listing Now, I am on a mission to make all those dull essays sparkle, so that students do not miss out on top grades. I'veI've written a couple of guest posts on essay writing for prominent academic writing sites. Apart from English essay writing, I love coffee and sushi. When I am not making essay warriors out of students, I am probably off to some fishing or biking adventure. 

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fear overcoming reason essay

How to Write the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay + Examples

What’s covered:.

  • What is the Overcoming Challenges Essay?
  • Real Overcoming Challenges Essay Prompts
  • How to Choose a Topic
  • Writing Tips

Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

  • Where to Get Your Essay Edited

While any college essay can be intimidating, the Overcoming Challenges prompt often worries students the most. Those students who’ve been lucky enough not to experience trauma tend to assume they have nothing worth saying. On the other hand, students who’ve overcome larger obstacles may be hesitant to talk about them.

Regardless of your particular circumstances, there are steps you can take to make the essay writing process simpler. Here are our top tips for writing the overcoming challenges essay successfully.

What is the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay?

The overcoming challenges prompt shows up frequently in both main application essays (like the Common App) and supplemental essays. Because supplemental essays allow students to provide schools with additional information, applicants should be sure that the subject matter they choose to write about differs from what’s in their main essay.

Students often assume the overcoming challenges essay requires them to detail past traumas. While you can certainly write about an experience that’s had a profound effect on your life, it’s important to remember that colleges aren’t evaluating students based on the seriousness of the obstacle they overcame.

On the contrary, the goal of this essay is to show admissions officers that you have the intelligence and fortitude to handle any challenges that come your way. After all, college serves as an introduction to adult life, and schools want to know that the students they admit are up to the task. 

Real “Overcoming Challenges” Essay Prompts

To help you understand what the “Overcoming Challenges” essay looks like, here are a couple sample prompts.

Currently, the Common Application asks students to answer the following prompt in 650 words or less:

“The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

For the past several years, MIT has prompted students to write 200 to 250 words on the following:

“Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?”

In both cases, the prompts explicitly ask for your response to the challenge. The event itself isn’t as important as how it pushed you to grow.

How to Choose a Topic for an Essay on Overcoming Challenges

When it comes to finding the best topic for your overcoming challenges essays, there’s no right answer. The word “challenge” is ambiguous and could be used to reference a wide range of situations from prevailing over a bully to getting over your lifelong stage fright to appear in a school musical. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when selecting an essay subject.

1. Avoid trivial or common topics

While there aren’t many hard-and-fast rules for choosing an essay topic, students should avoid overdone topics.

These include:

  • Working hard in a challenging class
  • Overcoming a sports injury
  • Moving schools or immigrating to the US
  • Tragedy (divorce, death, abuse)

Admissions officers have read numerous essays on the subject, so it’s harder for you to stand out (see our full list of cliché college essay topics to avoid ). If events like these were truly formative to you, you can still choose to write about them, but you’ll need to be as personal as possible. 

It’s also ideal if you have a less traditional storyline for a cliché topic; for example, if your sports injury led you to discover a new passion, that would be a more unique story than detailing how you overcame your injury and got back in the game.

Similarly, students may not want to write about an obstacle that admissions committees could perceive as low stakes, such as getting a B on a test, or getting into a small fight with a friend. The goal of this essay is to illustrate how you respond to adversity, so the topic you pick should’ve been at least impactful on your personal growth.

2. Pick challenges that demonstrate qualities you want to highlight

Students often mistakenly assume they need to have experienced exceptional circumstances like poverty, an abusive parent, or cancer to write a good essay. The truth is that the best topics will allow you to highlight specific personal qualities and share more about who you are. The essay should be less about the challenge itself, and more about how you responded to it.

Ask yourself what personality traits you want to emphasize, and see what’s missing in your application. Maybe you want to highlight your adaptability, for example, but that isn’t clearly expressed in your application. In this case, you might write about a challenge that put your adaptability to the test, or shaped you to become more adaptable.

Here are some examples of good topics we’ve seen over the years:

  • Not having a coach for a sports team and becoming one yourself
  • Helping a parent through a serious health issue
  • Trying to get the school track dedicated to a coach
  • Having to switch your Model UN position last-minute

Tips for Writing an Essay About Overcoming Challenges

Once you’ve selected a topic for your essays, it’s time to sit down and write. For best results, make sure your essay focuses on your efforts to tackle an obstacle rather than the problem itself. Additionally, you could avoid essay writing pitfalls by doing the following:

1. Choose an original essay structure

If you want your overcoming challenges essay to attract attention, aim to break away from more traditional structures. Most of these essays start by describing an unsuccessful attempt at a goal and then explain the steps the writer took to master the challenge. 

You can stand out by choosing a challenge you’re still working on overcoming, or focus on a mental or emotional challenge that spans multiple activities or events. For example, you might discuss your fear of public speaking and how that impacted your ability to coach your brother’s Little League team and run for Student Council. 

You can also choose a challenge that can be narrated in the moment, such as being put on the spot to teach a yoga class. These challenges can make particularly engaging essays, as you get to experience the writer’s thoughts and emotions as they unfold.

Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to have succeeded in your goal for this essay. Maybe you ran for an election and lost, or maybe you proposed a measure to the school board that wasn’t passed. It’s still possible to write a strong essay about topics like these as long as you focus on your personal growth. In fact, these may make for even stronger essays since they are more unconventional topics.

2. Focus on the internal

When writing about past experiences, you may be tempted to spend too much time describing specific people and events. With an Overcoming Challenges essay though, the goal is to focus on your thoughts and feelings.

For example, rather than detail all the steps you took to become a better public speaker, use the majority of your essay to describe your mental state as you embarked on the journey to achieving your goals. Were you excited, scared, anxious, or hopeful? Don’t be afraid to let the reader in on your innermost emotions and thoughts during this process.

3. Share what you learned 

An Overcoming Challenges essay should leave the reader with a clear understanding of what you learned on your journey, be it physical, mental, or emotional. There’s no need to explicitly say “this experience taught me X,” but your essay should at least implicitly share any lessons you learned. This can be done through your actions and in-the-moment reflections. Remember that the goal is to show admissions committees why your experiences make you a great candidate for admission. 

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the g arb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family. 

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt. 

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him. 

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses. 

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

This essay is an excellent example because the writer turns an everyday challenge—starting a fire—into an exploration of her identity. The writer was once “a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes,” but has since traded her love of the outdoors for a love of music, writing, and reading. 

The story begins in media res , or in the middle of the action, allowing readers to feel as if we’re there with the writer. One of the essay’s biggest strengths is its use of imagery. We can easily visualize the writer’s childhood and the present day. For instance, she states that she “rubbed and rubbed [the twigs] until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers.”

The writing has an extremely literary quality, particularly with its wordplay. The writer reappropriates words and meanings, and even appeals to the senses: “My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame.” She later uses a parallelism to cleverly juxtapose her changed interests: “instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano.”

One of the essay’s main areas of improvement is its overemphasis on the “story” and lack of emphasis on the reflection. The second to last paragraph about changing perspective is crucial to the essay, as it ties the anecdote to larger lessons in the writer’s life. She states that she hasn’t changed, but has only shifted perspective. Yet, we don’t get a good sense of where this realization comes from and how it impacts her life going forward. 

The end of the essay offers a satisfying return to the fire imagery, and highlights the writer’s passion—the one thing that has remained constant in her life.

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

While the writer didn’t succeed in getting the track dedicated to Coach Stark, their essay is certainly successful in showing their willingness to push themselves and take initiative.

The essay opens with a quote from Coach Stark that later comes full circle at the end of the essay. We learn about Stark’s impact and the motivation for trying to get the track dedicated to him.

One of the biggest areas of improvement in the intro, however, is how the essay tells us Stark’s impact rather than showing us: His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The writer could’ve helped us feel a stronger emotional connection to Stark if they had included examples of Stark’s qualities, rather than explicitly stating them. For example, they could’ve written something like: Stark was the kind of person who would give you gas money if you told him your parents couldn’t afford to pick you up from practice. And he actually did that—several times. At track meets, alumni regularly would come talk to him and tell him how he’d changed their lives. Before Stark, I was ambivalent about running and was on the JV team, but his encouragement motivated me to run longer and harder and eventually make varsity. Because of him, I approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The essay goes on to explain how the writer overcame their apprehension of public speaking, and likens the process of submitting an appeal to the school board to running a race. This metaphor makes the writing more engaging and allows us to feel the student’s emotions.

While the student didn’t ultimately succeed in getting the track dedicated, we learn about their resilience and initiative: I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Overall, this essay is well-done. It demonstrates growth despite failing to meet a goal, which is a unique essay structure. The running metaphor and full-circle intro/ending also elevate the writing in this essay.

Where to Get Your Overcoming Challenges Essay Edited

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fear overcoming reason essay

Theo Tsaousides Ph.D.

7 Things You Need to Know About Fear

5. The more scared you feel, the scarier things will seem.

Posted November 19, 2015 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch

  • What Is Fear?
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Fear can be uncomfortable and crippling. But eliminating it would be the equivalent of taking down your home alarm system because it sometimes makes loud and irritating sounds.

Being fearless doesn’t mean eliminating fear. It means knowing how to leverage fear. And to do that, you need to know a few things about what you are dealing with. (Part 1 of this series was about the fears that keep people up at night.)

1. Fear is healthy.

Fear is hardwired in your brain, and for good reason: Neuroscientists have identified distinct networks that run from the depths of the limbic system all the way to the prefrontal cortex and back. When these networks are electrically or chemically stimulated, they produce fear, even in the absence of a fearful stimulus. Feeling fear is neither abnormal nor a sign of weakness: The capacity to be afraid is part of normal brain function. In fact, a lack of fear may be a sign of serious brain damage.

2. Fear comes in many shades.

Fear is an inherently unpleasant experience that can range from mild to paralyzing—from anticipating the results of a medical checkup to hearing news of a deadly terrorist attack. Horrifying events can leave a permanent mark on your brain circuitry, which may require professional help. However, chronic stress , the low-intensity variety of fear expressed as free-floating anxiety , constant worry, and daily insecurity, can quietly but seriously harm your physical and mental health over time.

3. Fear is not as automatic as you think.

Fear is part instinct, part learned, part taught. Some fears are instinctive: Pain, for example, causes fear because of its implications for survival. Other fears are learned: We learn to be afraid of certain people, places, or situations because of negative associations and past experiences. A near-drowning incident, for example, may cause fear each time you get close to a body of water. Other fears are taught: Cultural norms often dictate whether something should be feared or not. Think, for example, about how certain social groups are feared and persecuted because of a societally-created impression that they are dangerous.

4. You don’t need to be in danger to be scared.

Fear is also partly imagined, and so it can arise in the absence of something scary. In fact, because our brains are so efficient, we begin to fear a range of stimuli that are not scary ( conditioned fear ) or not even present ( anticipatory anxiety ). We get scared because of what we imagine could happen. Some neuroscientists claim that humans are the most fearful creatures on the planet because of our ability to learn, think, and create fear in our minds. But this low-grade, objectless fear can turn into chronic anxiety about nothing specific, and become debilitating.

Through a process called potentiation , your fear response is amplified if you are already in a state of fear. When you are primed for fear, even harmless events seem scary. If you are watching a documentary about venomous spiders, a tickle on your neck caused by, say, a loose thread in your sweater will startle you and make you jump out of your seat in terror. If you are afraid of flying, even the slightest turbulence will push your blood pressure through the roof of the plane. And the more worried you are about your job security, the more you will sweat it when your boss calls you in for even an uneventful meeting.

6. Fear dictates the actions you take.

Actions motivated by fear fall into four types—freeze, fight, flight, or fright. Freeze means you stop what you are doing and focus on the fearful stimulus to decide what to do next (e.g., you read a memo that your company will be laying off people). Next, you choose either fight or flight . You decide whether to deal with the threat directly (tell your boss why you shouldn’t be laid off) or work around it (start looking for another job). When the fear is overwhelming, you experience fright : You neither fight nor flee; in fact, you do nothing—well, you obsess about the layoffs, ruminate, and complain, but you take no action. Being continuously in fright mode can lead to hopelessness and depression .

7. The more real the threat, the more heroic your actions.

We react differently to real and imagined threats. Imagined threats cause paralysis. Being scared about all the bad things that may or may not happen in the future makes you worry a lot but take little action. You are stuck in a state of fear, overwhelmed but not knowing what to do. Real threats, on the other hand, cause frenzy. When the threat is imminent and identifiable, you jump to action immediately and without flinching. This is why people are much more likely to change their eating habits after a serious health scare (e.g., a heart attack) than after just reading statistics about the deleterious effect of a diet based on fried foods. If you want to mobilize your troops, you have to put yourself in danger.

Fear can be as much an ally, as it can be an enemy. And fear of fear can keep you locked in a cage of insecurity. How do you overcome it? You learn to leverage it. More about that in Part 3.

Theo Tsaousides Ph.D.

Theo Tsaousides, Ph.D. is a neuropsychologist, assistant professor, and author of the book Brainblocks: Overcoming the Seven Hidden Barriers to Success .

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Fear — How to Overcome Our Fears

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How to Overcome Our Fears

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Published: Feb 12, 2019

Words: 367 | Page: 1 | 2 min read

Fear Essay: Hook Examples

  • The Fear Factor: “Fear – the invisible force that keeps us from realizing our full potential. Are you ready to conquer it and unlock your life’s true force?”
  • Breaking the Chains of Fear: “Fear is the silent prison that many never escape. Let’s explore how to break free from its grip and unleash the power within.”
  • From Fear to Freedom: “In a world where fear holds so many hostage, it’s time to discover the path from fear to freedom. Join us on this journey of transformation.”
  • The Fear Paradox: “Fear, like a shadow, follows us closely, yet it can be our greatest teacher. How can we turn fear from a foe into a friend on our journey to self-discovery?”
  • Unlocking Your Inner Courage: “Within every person lies an inner wellspring of courage waiting to be tapped. Learn how to unlock this courage and face fear head-on.”

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fear overcoming reason essay

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Essay on Fear

Students are often asked to write an essay on Fear in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Fear

Understanding fear.

Fear is a basic human emotion that alerts us to the presence of danger. It is fundamental to our survival, making us respond quickly when we sense a threat.

Fear’s Role

Fear helps us make decisions that protect us from harm. It triggers our ‘fight or flight’ response, preparing our bodies to either confront or escape danger.

Overcoming Fear

Fear can be overcome by understanding and facing it. When we challenge our fears, we learn to control them, reducing their impact on our lives.

The Positive Side of Fear

Fear can also be positive, motivating us to push beyond our comfort zones, leading to personal growth and achievement.

Also check:

  • Paragraph on Fear
  • Speech on Fear

250 Words Essay on Fear

Fear is an innate emotional response to perceived threats. It is evolutionarily wired into our brains, acting as a survival mechanism that alerts us to danger and prepares our bodies to react. While fear can be a beneficial response, it can also be debilitating when it becomes chronic or irrational.

The Physiology of Fear

Fear triggers a cascade of physiological responses, including the release of adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare the body for the ‘fight or flight’ response by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels. This process, while crucial for survival in threatening situations, can lead to health problems if sustained over a long period.

Fear and the Mind

Psychologically, fear can be both a conscious and subconscious experience. It can be based on real threats or imagined ones, leading to anxiety disorders and phobias. Fear can also influence decision-making, often leading to risk-averse behavior. Understanding the psychological aspects of fear is essential for effective mental health treatment.

Overcoming fear involves recognizing and confronting it. Techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction can be effective. These strategies aim to change the thought patterns that lead to fear and teach coping mechanisms to manage fear responses.

Fear in Society

Fear also plays a significant role in society, influencing politics, economics, and social interactions. It can be used as a tool of manipulation, or it can drive societal change. Recognizing the societal implications of fear is crucial for fostering a more understanding and empathetic society.

In conclusion, fear is a complex emotion with profound impacts on individuals and society. Understanding its mechanisms and implications can help us navigate our fears and use them as catalysts for growth.

500 Words Essay on Fear

Introduction.

Fear is a universal human experience, an essential part of our biological makeup that has evolved over millions of years. It is a complex emotion that can be both protective and paralyzing, serving as a warning signal for danger while also potentially hindering personal growth and exploration. This essay explores the multifaceted nature of fear, its psychological implications, and its role in shaping human behavior and society.

The Biological Basis of Fear

Fear is fundamentally rooted in our biology. It is a response triggered by the amygdala, a small, almond-shaped structure in the brain that processes emotional stimuli. When we perceive a threat, the amygdala activates the body’s fight-or-flight response, leading to physiological changes such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and heightened alertness. This response is adaptive and has been crucial for human survival, allowing us to react quickly to potential threats.

The Psychological Aspect of Fear

Psychologically, fear is a multifaceted emotion with wide-ranging implications. It can be both acute, as in the immediate response to a threat, and chronic, as in the long-term fear associated with anxiety disorders. Fear can also be learned through conditioning or observation, which explains why different individuals may have different fear responses to the same stimulus.

Fear can lead to avoidance behavior, where individuals steer clear of situations that they perceive as threatening. While this can be protective, it can also be limiting, preventing individuals from pursuing opportunities and experiences that could lead to personal growth.

Fear and Society

On a societal level, fear can be both a unifying and a divisive force. It can bring people together in the face of a common threat, but it can also be exploited to manipulate public opinion and justify oppressive policies. Fear can lead to stereotyping and discrimination, as individuals or groups are scapegoated as threats to societal safety and order.

Overcoming fear involves recognizing and understanding it. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one effective method, as it helps individuals reframe their fearful thoughts and gradually expose themselves to feared situations. Mindfulness and meditation can also be beneficial, allowing individuals to stay present and focused rather than getting caught up in fearful thoughts.

In conclusion, fear is an integral part of the human experience, with deep biological roots and far-reaching psychological and societal implications. While it can be protective, it can also be limiting and divisive. Understanding and managing fear is therefore crucial, not just for individual well-being, but also for societal harmony and progress. As we navigate through an increasingly complex and uncertain world, the ability to confront and overcome our fears will be more important than ever.

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Facing Fear To Overcome It

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