When I use my strength in the service of my vision it makes no

Audre Lorde, poet, warrior, and prophet of truth, once declared: “When I use my strength in the service of my vision it makes no difference whether or not I am afraid.” In these words burns a wisdom forged in the fires of struggle. Fear is the companion of all who dare greatly. It comes to kings and beggars alike, whispering paralysis, urging retreat. Yet Lorde teaches that fear loses its dominion when strength is bound to vision. For vision is the star that guides through storm, and strength, when offered in its service, makes courage possible even in trembling.

The ancients knew this also. In the tale of Aeneas, when Troy burned and despair swallowed its people, he too was afraid. But he bore his father upon his shoulders, led his people toward a promised land, and founded Rome. Was he without fear? No. But he had a vision greater than fear: the survival of his people and the birth of a new world. Thus, fear became powerless before duty. Lorde’s words echo this heroic rhythm: when one’s life is given over to purpose, fear ceases to govern.

Fear is natural, but it is not final. The one who lives only to avoid fear is already defeated. But the one who weds their strength to vision transforms fear into background noise. Audre Lorde herself lived as a Black woman, a lesbian, a mother, a poet, and an activist in a world that often sought to silence her. Fear was her constant companion. Yet she refused to yield. Her vision of justice, of equality, of truth spoken boldly, became the compass of her life. It was not the absence of fear that made her strong—it was the triumph of vision over fear.

History gives us many witnesses to this same truth. Consider Martin Luther King Jr. He marched knowing death stalked him. He spoke knowing violence awaited him. Did he feel fear? Certainly. But he placed his strength in the service of his vision—a vision of justice, of a dream where his children would be judged by the content of their character. And in that service, fear lost its dominion. He walked forward, not fearless, but unshaken.

To live this way requires clarity of purpose. Without vision, strength is scattered, wasted on small battles and fleeting pleasures. Fear then becomes overwhelming, for there is nothing larger to contain it. But with vision, even trembling hands can build temples, even anxious hearts can march into history. The man who fears yet presses forward for love of his vision is braver than the one who feels no fear at all. For courage is not the absence of fear—it is the choice to act despite it.

The lesson for us is this: discover your vision—the cause, the dream, the purpose for which you would endure hardship. Then, gather your strength, whatever form it takes—your words, your skills, your labor, your compassion—and place it in service to that vision. Do not wait until fear departs, for it never fully will. Instead, act with it beside you, and you will find that fear shrinks before the fire of determination.

Practical action follows: Write down your vision, clear and true. Each day, do one act in its service, however small. When fear arises, remind yourself that it cannot stop you unless you surrender. Seek the stories of those who endured before you, and let their courage nourish your own. Above all, never let fear dictate your destiny. For as Audre Lorde teaches, once strength serves vision, fear is rendered powerless. In that moment, you become not a victim of fear, but a bearer of light, walking boldly in the path of your own becoming.