Log #5

Recently, I ‘ve watched the video of Ed Helms Giving Knox 2013 Commencement Address. This speech is short yet powerful and inspiring. In addition to his great sense of humor, I like the idea he tried to convey. Mainly, he talked about fear. In the beginning, he said “Fear is good.” Hearing this, my mind was filled with confusion and curiosity. Why is fear good to us? Because of fear of failure, I step away from trying, refuse to make decisions. Then why is fear good to us? After his explanation, I knew I view fear in the wrong way: viewing fear as a feeling and emotion; as a result, I was affected emotionally. However, we actually have better choice to get along with our fear.

“All of that is to say, that fear of known physical danger is obviously warranted and needn't be questioned or overthought. But that other kind of fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear that shuts down action without any real explanation. When you feel that fear, let it be a trigger for curiosity.”

“We should look at our fear not as a reason to avoid the things that frighten us, but as a reason to engage them.”

Ed Helm shared his story with graduates. When he was little, he dreamed to be a comedian and make great comedies. To pave the way for this dream, he started as a film editor assistant to make money. Although he encountered with many challenges, he made through it and even became an expert in that fields. However, when he finally got the chance to pursue the position he really dreamed of (comedian), he hanged back and started questioning himself out of fear. I think I can totally understand him. In front of the opportunity of what we truly like or long for, the more fear come to us because we are so afraid of screwing up our dream. As Ed mentioned “It hit me like a rock. Looking deeper into my fear revealed something I truly wanted.”, I think that is also what I exactly fear for. “When you fail at the thing you love, it isn't on the outside of you like dirt or spilled mayonnaise.” Since I planned for so long and worked so hard to get to NTUST, since here is where I had been dreamed about, I am so afraid of screwing this up that I chose to step back, not to make decisions; but in fact, I know, I am only escaping and not solving problems and only making me more ignorant. Rather than escaping from the problems, Ed talked to himself, talked to his fear. And he realized that if you let it, fear can become a kind of spirit guide on your path to a successful life because fear is a sign for us to identify our weaknesses, room for improvements; and if we could take it as our guide, it would make us stronger, lead us to success.

 “When you run away from fear, you also run away from the opportunity to be your best possible self.”

When facing fear, maybe I am still not brave enough; nevertheless, I realized I have different choices get along with it and expect to stopped running away from the opportunity to be my best possible self and even take it as my guide in the future.

“That tension will always be there, but so long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you're on the right track. A life oriented toward discovery is infinitely more rewarding than a life oriented toward not blowing it.”