Do what you fear and fear disappears.

Host: The evening was quiet, the room filled with a soft, reflective calm. The light from the window had faded, and the soft glow of the lamp illuminated the space, casting long shadows across the floor. Jeeny sat at the table, her hands folded in front of her, a thoughtful expression on her face. Jack, standing by the window, gazed out at the night, his arms crossed, lost in thought. There was a shared sense of anticipation, as though a deep conversation was waiting to unfold.

Jeeny: (breaking the silence, her voice calm but filled with curiosity) “I came across something today by David Joseph Schwartz that really struck me. He said, ‘Do what you fear and fear disappears.’ What do you think about that?”

Jack: (pauses, his voice thoughtful) “It’s such a powerful statement. The idea that fear doesn’t have power over you unless you let it control you. It’s almost like he’s saying the way to overcome fear isn’t to avoid it, but to face it head-on. When you confront it directly, you realize it isn’t as powerful as it seems.”

Jeeny: (nodding) “Exactly. Fear tends to grow in the dark, in our avoidance of it. But when you take action, even if it’s just a small step, you begin to see that fear often dissipates. It’s the inaction and the avoidance that gives fear its strength, making it seem bigger than it really is.”

Host: The stillness in the room deepened, as both of them reflected on the deeper implications of the quote. Jack turned slightly, his gaze softening as he thought about the ways fear shapes our actions—or inaction. Outside, the night had fully settled in, but inside, the conversation felt like it was unfolding into something more meaningful.

Jack: (softly) “I think what’s so powerful about this idea is that it shifts the focus. It’s not about running from fear, or waiting for it to go away. It’s about taking control and making fear irrelevant through action. Fear doesn’t define you unless you let it.”

Jeeny: (with a thoughtful smile) “Yes, and it’s not just about big, dramatic actions. It can be the smallest steps—speaking up in a meeting, asking a question, trying something new. When you take those steps, you realize that fear doesn’t have as much hold on you as you thought. It’s like dismantling it piece by piece.”

Jack: (nodding slowly) “Right. It’s the act of doing that breaks the grip of fear. You stop feeling like you’re running from something and start feeling like you’re moving toward something better. And once you’ve faced it, you realize it doesn’t have the power it once did.”

Jeeny: (gently) “Exactly. Fear has a way of feeling like a wall, something that keeps you from moving forward. But when you take action, it’s like you’re knocking down that wall, piece by piece. What you’re left with is a sense of empowerment and confidence, because you’ve proved to yourself that fear doesn’t control you—it’s just an obstacle to overcome.”

Host: The quiet in the room seemed to deepen as the weight of their conversation settled in. Jeeny and Jack sat together, reflecting on the idea that fear, in many ways, is just a mental barrier—a challenge to be met and overcome. The world outside had quieted, but inside, the realization that the best way to face fear is to move through it, to take action, had settled between them like a shared truth.

Jack: (smiling softly, his voice more assured) “It’s a reminder that action is the antidote to fear. The more we face it, the less it controls us. In a way, fear is only as big as we make it.”

Jeeny: (smiling warmly) “Yes, and that’s where the real freedom comes from—when you stop letting fear dictate your choices, when you start making choices based on courage, not avoidance.”

Host: The world outside had fully slipped into the quiet of night, but inside, the room was filled with a new understanding. Jeeny and Jack had uncovered a simple yet profound truth—that fear doesn’t have to control us. The key to overcoming it lies not in avoiding it, but in facing it with courage and taking action. It is through doing, through moving forward despite the fear, that we find the power to break it down and release ourselves from its hold.