Fear Standing Still

Fear Standing Still


I have always been a big fan of quotes and metaphors.

I came across this Chinese proverb the other day and I really liked it:

“Don’t fear moving slowly. Fear standing still.”

It really stuck out to me for a few reasons.

I greatly fear standing still. I am afraid of stagnation. I know that the world is evolving incredibly quickly, technology and all, and that I do not want to be swept behind.

I think many people share that feeling.

Yet we are often afraid to take leaps of faith. We are afraid that if we try and fail people will look down upon us.

This proverb answers that perfectly. The fear should not be allocated towards doing a poor job. Do not run away from the challenge of not being the best.

Rather, the only thing to fear is not trying. Not doing.

It’s sad but I feel like we live in a talk first, do later society. I find this paradox strange — the doers are the ones who reap the most benefits.

I always want to be a doer. Plenty of talkers out there with great ideas.

Doers move mountains.


Originally published at Jordan Gonen.

By jordangonen on March 20, 2017.

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Exported from Medium on February 17, 2018.