Chapter 5: Fear Masquerading as Reason
There’s a villain in every creative space that’s hard to spot because it doesn’t look like a villain. It looks like your helpful friend, your cautious advisor, your reasonable colleague. It’s fear, dressed up as caution, wearing the disguise of reason. And it’s everywhere.
Picture this: you’re in a meeting, and everyone’s on board with a great idea. There’s excitement in the room, and you’re on the verge of making something happen. Then, out of nowhere, someone says, “I just want to be the voice of reason here...” You know the type. They’re the ones who always seem to be protecting the group from the “dangers” of moving too fast. But what they’re really doing is dragging everyone into the quicksand of indecision.
Here’s the problem: fear dressed up as reason is paralyzing. It doesn’t push projects forward; it stalls them. It hides behind words like “prudent,” “cautious,” and “let’s think this through,” but it’s all just code for “I’m scared to take a risk.” And you know what? That’s okay. Fear is normal. But when it stops you from doing the work, it’s a problem. Fear doesn’t belong in the driver’s seat—it belongs in the back, watching you take action despite its protests.
Early in my career, I didn’t have time to listen to fear. I was too busy making things happen. I’d string together four or five music videos in a weekend, shooting back-to-back and hustling to stretch every dollar. I didn’t have time to be cautious or precious. I had to deliver. If a camera broke, I figured it out. If a location fell through, I adapted. I wasn’t interested in perfection; I was interested in finishing.
And that’s the key: when you’re doing the work, you don’t have time to let fear run the show. You’re too busy solving problems, moving pieces, and getting it done. Fear is just noise. It’s the static that tries to drown out the signal, but if you’re focused, if you’re in the zone, you don’t hear it. You just keep going.
You have to ask yourself: is this hesitation really caution, or is it just fear pretending to be smart? Are you holding back because there’s a legitimate concern, or are you just afraid to fail?
Preciousness is fear’s best friend. They walk hand in hand, whispering doubts and slowing you down. They tell you it’s not ready, that it’s not good enough, that you should wait. But here’s the thing: they’re lying. Nothing will ever feel ready. Nothing will ever be perfect. And if you wait until it is, you’ll never do anything at all.
I’ve been in rooms where million-dollar projects fell apart because people were too scared to commit. I’ve seen brilliant ideas die on the vine because someone, somewhere, let fear have the final say. Don’t let that be you. When fear shows up, call it out. Recognize it for what it is,
and then take the next step anyway. Fear doesn’t go away—it’s part of the process. But it doesn’t get to dictate your actions.
If you’re serious about creating, about building, about making something that matters, you have to kick fear out of the driver’s seat. You have to make decisions, take risks, and be willing to get it wrong. Because the only thing worse than failing is never trying. Don’t let fear masquerading as reason steal your chance to make something great.