The Courage to Find Your Why: Facing Fears on the Journey to Purpose

Have you ever felt paralyzed by the question "What am I here for?" You're not alone. While religions and philosophies offer comforting explanations about our purpose, the most empowering truth might be this: you alone control your destiny. Terrifying, isn't it?

In this deeply reflective episode, we explore the five fundamental fears blocking your path to purpose. From the anxiety of public speaking to the existential dread of mortality, these barriers keep us from discovering why we're truly here. I share personal stories about overcoming my own resistance to being seen, including a recent experience making TikToks with my Gen Z sister-in-law despite my initial reluctance. These moments of pushing beyond comfort zones reveal how our fears often disguise opportunities for growth.

The most profound revelation comes when examining our statistical improbability. The odds of your specific existence—approximately 0.00000000823%—make you nothing short of miraculous. How can someone so statistically extraordinary claim to have no purpose? Your very presence defies mathematical odds. This perspective transforms fear of death from a paralyzing force into motivation to create meaning.

We close with a powerful metaphor: God rarely places finished gifts in our hands, but instead provides ingredients. Your fears, strengths, and experiences are raw materials waiting to be transformed. The miracle isn't receiving everything ready-made—it's in what you choose to create with what you've been given. What fear is currently holding you back from your purpose, and how might you take action despite it? Connect with me to share your journey of turning fear into growth. Remember: your life is rare and precious, and taking action today, even while afraid, is how you discover your true purpose.

Chapters

• 0:00 What Am I Here For?
• 2:26 Five Fears Holding You Back
• 3:02 Fear of Public Speaking
• 6:10 Togetherness and Success
• 12:22 Overcoming Fear of Failure
• 13:20 Fear of the Unknown
• 22:50 The Fear of Death
• 27:08 The Gift of Ingredients

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

What am I here for? How many times, guys, have we asked ourselves this question? Also like why am I in this world? What is the reason? I know that religions have comforted us, right, With the idea that there is something bigger than us, something that cannot control our lives. Right, or when considering philosophies that suggest we are in this world because we did something good or bad in a previous life and we are given the chance to do better. So, looks like we don't have control about our choices. But what if you are the one, the only one, who can control your life? Only you, okay. Not religions, not justifications, only you and your willingness to do something meaningful. Scary, eh, isn't it? It can be terrifying to think about it, right? If you think about it, I mean, if that's the truth, regardless of our decisions, beliefs or philosophies, it means we are the only ones who control our lives. Then it means we have to take action, a real action to achieve whatever we decide. A real action to achieve whatever we decide. So, to achieve this, we must face different fears to discover, finally, our purpose. Hi guys, my name is Fabio from Journey to Success, and welcome.

Speaker 1: 1:36

Today we're going to discuss the concept of facing fears as a crucial step towards discovering one's true sense of why we are here. We will discuss the common fears, especially, that hold people back, such as the fear of failure, success, the unknown, and so on, and explain how these fears can prevent individuals from finding their purpose. But before to go forward, as always, please, please, subscribe. So I know this is the right direction to lead you guys, to drive you, to guide you towards your journey to success. All right, let's get started, okay, as always.

Speaker 1: 2:17

So today we will be talking about the top five fears holding you back from your purpose in life. So the first one is fear of public speaking. That would be the fear of expressing oneself in public, right, and putting oneself out in the world. Then we have the second fear. The second fear is fear of togetherness, and success Comes together. Then the third fear is fear of failure. The fourth fear is the fear of the unknown, and number five is the fear of death. So let's start. Number one fear of public speaking, expressing oneself in public and putting oneself out into the world. Big title for a chapter, but it is what it is. So this can be significant barriers to realizing your dreams and achieving success, guys.

Speaker 1: 3:19

So if you have a fear of showing up, it often originates from the anxiety that someone is judging you. Okay, so it is connected to the fear of being judged as well. And this anxiety can arise from feeling that people are watching you, you know, are judging you regardless of your actions, which can be paralyzing, of course. And to overcome this fear, I would like to give an example, as always, an example from my own life. Generally, I'm not afraid to do things in public, right, but I do have my limits as well. Everyone has their limits. So moments like you know, no, this is too much, even for me are normal. It is normal. So no worries. As I say, everyone has, you know, is is limit to show up.

Speaker 1: 4:17

But it's funny because just the day before writing this episode, my sister-in-law, a true Gen Z, suggested we create some TikTok videos together, videos together. She said, hey, do you want to make some tiktoks? And I replied no, of course I was into uh. Then she suggested okay, let's, we are matching pajamas. I was like wait, wait, I will. I hesitate. So I say wait just a moment and no, please, no pajamas. But she encouraged me and say come on, we can match like two bodies. You know something like that. So in that moment, I hear you know that voice in the back of your mind questioning things like all right, what will people think? What if someone I know sees me in pajamas? So it's normal to be conscious about how we present ourselves. Of course, all right, but it it is also essential to question those thoughts and investigate more to get the positive side of these challenging thoughts. So, instead of staying on my fears, I shifted my perspective. I thought, okay, this is going to strengthen my bond with my sister-in-law or another one. I've never done something like this before. It will actually be fun. And in the end, it was fun. We had a great time and we made weird positions and that initial form of worry disappeared completely. So my advice is to replace negative thoughts with a positive perspective on what specific actions can bring to us and you'll be fine, okay.

Speaker 1: 6:10

Number two fear of togetherness and success. So success comes with people, guys, and it doesn't matter if it's online or not. So it doesn't matter if it's online or in real life. Some people have a fear of belonging to a community. Okay, I remember this prominent Italian YouTuber who, to be honest I don't want to exaggerate it by saying she had a million followers. But she surely had hundreds of thousands of followers. Okay, and she initially found joy in it, but eventually she turned her channel off because for her, youtube started as a joke and a small hobby and when it blew up and became something big, she felt overwhelmed. Okay, also, as much as I love youtube, just a small um, just a small note. Some members of certain communities can be toxic. We know that. A podcast, for example, tends to be much more chill and relaxed about it, and for youtube is a little bit different. So I understand their feelings, especially when I consider how specific communities within my favorite YouTubers interact with each other, you know. But how can one overcome this fear generally? So fear of togetherness and success often comes from two things, guys Loss of control and fear of being consumed by others expectations.

Speaker 1: 7:47

Okay, so here in this second point, I would like to advise five keys in um, where, where? Um, I go through the topic, okay. So the first key is, uh, redefining your. So it's important to redefine your boundaries. So no one can truly touch you, it's only your mind, guys. So try practicing something that I like to advise sometimes Well, now it's a long time To practice the child yoga position, balasana, every morning.

Speaker 1: 8:22

It is an easy yoga rest, rest and it's very easy, super easy. You sit on your knees, bend forward and put your head on the floor. Your arms can go forward or stay by your sides, it doesn't matter, and it helps you feel calm, you know. Rest your mind and gently stretch your back and hips. You can use a pillow if it's hard to reach the floor, so there is no problem. And you can see thousands of images on the internet about it. So the name is Balasan. Okay, it's a simple movement that increases your sense of protection, and you can repeat a mantra like I'm safe, this shell protects me, no one can touch me. Okay, this is the first key.

Speaker 1: 9:12

Second key focus on your core. And the key is all these four keys are part of the second topic guys, all right. So fear of togetherness and success, because I don't want to lose you. So, second key focus on your core. There may be people who don't like you. Ok, but remember this those who dislike you will always do so, regardless of your actions. Ok, however, those who love you will continue to do so just as much as you love them in return. So it's essential to focus on your positive core people around you. I know that those who criticize you often make more noise, I know that, but they truly represent only a small number of people, I promise you guys. Okay.

Speaker 1: 10:06

Fourth key protect your creative playground. You know the show with the Kardashian, where you know they record almost everything. In my opinion, that's quite dangerous. Okay, the more you expose yourself, the less you have to protect. So keep some aspects of your life solely for yourself, like journaling, for example, or sharing thoughts with true friends. So create a playground outside of the public eye. So that's very important.

Speaker 1: 10:50

Now the fourth key is, uh, detox from toxic corners. So it's essential to have a space where you can detox from your environment. Guys, it's important to you know, maintain a hobby that you enjoy, of course, and keep it close to your heart. Take walks to ground yourself, especially, and find activities that help you detox physically and mentally. Okay, that's very important. And the fifth key is shifting from performance to presence. Okay, so the more authentic you are, the easier this journey becomes. So being your authentic self allows you to connect with others in a genuine and meaningful way, whether people like you or not, whether people are starting to hate your journey or not, they will accept you for who you really are, it doesn't matter. And remember you for who you really are, it doesn't matter. And remember, loving and accepting yourself is what truly matters in the end. Okay, so this is an essential step in finding your meaning. So these were the five keys that I like to I highlighted inside this second step. And the second step was fear of togetherness and success. Okay, just to be clear Now.

Speaker 1: 12:18

Another fear is the fear of failure. We always discuss it Also in the previous episode, guys, but I'm never tired to mention Mistakes serve as valuable educators and spiritual mentors. That's it. Picture it as a strict yet honest teacher saying to you listen, man, you made an error, fix it. I understand that feels uneasy, but perfection is elusive, untouchable. Life goes on. So embrace your journey, work through it, and one day I might surprise you by no longer bringing up this error for you, you know, might surprise you by no longer bringing up this error for you, you know. So, mr, failure is there just to show you the mistake, a mistake or a misstep that you have to correct to go forward. That's it, okay.

Speaker 1: 13:16

Number four fear of fear itself. You have to push through it, guys. Okay, it doesn't matter which kind of fear you have, that's just how it is. There is not a magic yoga position that will resolve your fears. Or maybe it exists, I don't know, but I mean, I don't know it. In this case, and when I start my podcast journey, for example, right a few ago, I had my own concern as well. Okay, concerns like what if my voice is not appealing? Or what if what I'm saying is grammatically incorrect and most of the times it was like that or how can I reach even 20 minutes without milking the episode? You know, I remember receiving a message on Instagram one day from someone who said she didn't understand what I was saying in my podcast and suggested I do my podcast in Italian. So I was experiencing a small fear of rejection. But it's normal, okay, it's absolutely normal. Normal. It's part of your journey. So you have to move beyond those fears. Let's be honest.

Speaker 1: 14:30

We don't live in a praise story anymore. We have a lot of tools with us In terms of accessibility. Our lives are extremely better today than they were in the 90s, and the 90s offered more advantages than the 60s. Again, people in the 60s had better living conditions than those in the 30s, and particularly in terms of accessibility, technology and knowledge. You know, and consider this in less than 100, 100 years, there were no tv or computers, guys, only experimental mechanical calculators or something like that. You know, and no, it wasn't not even in everyday house. There were no effective medicines, there were no antibiotics.

Speaker 1: 15:23

Now, as we look now at 2025, I mean, we want to conquer Mars we talk with an AI. I remember when, a decade ago, I watched Iron man, you know, for the first time, and in the movie he was brainstorming with his AI. You know, for the first time, and in the movie he was brainstorming with his ai. You know, it was fascinating. I remember saying, nah, that's impossible. Listen, not even 10 years later, we are here, you know. It's like we are more and more in a sci-fi movie. So, regardless of what you think about this modern era, there is an essential objective and unique factor to consider we have more tools than ever to achieve our goals. Right, that's the reality and you would be blind not to notice it. For example, before the Industrial Revolution, guys, people collect strawberries and other vegetables by hand, and after the revolution, machines began to transform our lives, and now we have robotic tools doing much of the work for us, you know, and this farming example reflects a more general trend that applies to many aspects of our life, especially with the online tools we have today.

Speaker 1: 16:44

Okay, where I want to go with this topic? One year ago, with my podcast, I realized I couldn't stand the tons of grammar mistakes and correction. All right, I said to myself. Now there is the, the this ai event, so I plan to write and make some correction using ai, but I felt that it took over my meaning and I realized I was losing my own voice. You know, uh, so I could recognize myself during my recording. Okay, but enough, uh, perfect. So I went forward. I investigated a little bit so I could do. How could I do better without losing myself my authenticity? Okay, so I decided to write my own script, especially in the last months, and utilize tools like grammarly, you know, to refine it without sacrificing my uniqueness and authenticity. And who knows, who knows what kind of extensions or tools I might use in the future to improve my own way of delivering my message?

Speaker 1: 17:52

Okay, so we have a lot of tools in our hands right now, and when we face a fear, you know, we perceive it as an obstacle in our minds, okay, but in the past, it may have been more challenging to move the obstacle or climb it. Now you have countless tools to manage this obstacle In various ways. You can climb the obstacle, you can break it, you can lift it. We have numerous tools available in 2025, so don't forget that. Okay, the key is to think about how to approach this challenge. However, if you recognize the obstacle and choose to retreat, you will not be able to, you know, overcome your fear, okay.

Speaker 1: 19:43

Number four fear of the unknown. So, society, family and you know others often tell us the same thing study art, choose a specific college, find a stable job, pay taxes, buy a house, work, live, live, work and pension, okay, hopefully after a couple of decades, if you are lucky, then yeah, then you enjoy a little bit your life and then you meet your grave. You know, that's it, the end, end of the story. It feels so great, so mechanical, so robotic. We identify ourselves as human beings, okay, because we are human beings. But what reflects our humanity in this pattern exactly? There is no color, there is no vibrancy, no energy, no vitality. Just the same routine, guys, over and over again, multiplied for millions and millions of people replicated over and over again, Okay, and this monotony often arises from a fear of the unknown.

Speaker 1: 20:55

We are afraid to open the door to a different and anonymous future because we know that the room behind it you know the room of creativity and dreams is dark and uncertain at the beginning. I understand that. I understand that this can be a terrifying experience, but the good news is that when you open the door, you find that there is nothing there yet. Okay, fair enough, it's empty and vast, but it's also filled with infinite possibilities. The key is that it's up to you to create. Okay, there are no limits. It's all about you and your imagination, like a black canvas where you can paint your dreams and achieve your purpose in this limitless space. Yes, you may start in the darkness at the beginning yes, we know that but you have the power to fill it with color and build incredible things that are going to be unimaginable, okay. Build incredible things that are going to be unimaginable, okay.

Speaker 1: 22:09

But the truth is that, to break free from this routine, you must dare to go through that door and take risks that no one in your circle has taken before. So remove the barriers to your mind, guys, because remember that everything you see here, right now, in front of you, was created by someone's vision. Everything you see, everything you touch, you know, originated from the dreams and the purpose of humanity, and you and I possess the same emotional and spiritual intelligence to reach those heights. Remember that Number five fear of death. So there are two types of people in the world, guys. On one hand, you have those who understand that everyone eventually dies. Okay, they question why they should invest effort, strength and dedication into something if their life is going to end anyway. And, on the other hand, there are people like me. So I acknowledge that death is inevitable, and while I'm not delusional and I myself am afraid of the idea even less and less since I started to to talk about it, which helps me confront my thoughts the truth is that people like me want to leave a mark on this world, the footprint that symbolizes our existence. Okay, this desire is one of the reasons I decide to pursue podcasting, guys. Honestly, we don't know for how long yet, because you know life is unpredictable, but for now, I'm happy with where I am.

Speaker 1: 23:53

I'm grateful for you guys as well, when I see listeners from you know, hawaii, the United States, ethiopia, japan, argentina and beyond. Thank you for taking the time to listen to these episodes of Journey to Success. I appreciate your support and I am committed to creating more episodes for you and for us. So a huge part of my motivation, of course, originates from wanting to provide value to you, but I must admit that I also have self-centered reasons. I want to be part of something significant. I would like to leave a mark in this world. You know, that's what we can do in our life, and I want you to be part of it as well. So this podcast, these episodes, are for all of us. So again, thank you so much.

Speaker 1: 24:43

Now back to our main topic. The idea that life may be short or long shouldn't restrict you from finding your true purpose. Okay, what you must understand at your core is that it's not about the deadline of life, but rather about the beginning. You were born among millions of sperm cells, representing a miracle itself. Okay, with roughly 8.23 billion people in the world today, the chances of your existence are incredibly small, remote. If just one sperm were different, you wouldn't be here.

Speaker 1: 25:27

Considering the vast numbers, some estimates suggest that the actual probability of any specific individual being born is truly minimal If every sperm guys became a baby, even for just today's men, right, the total would be around a sextillion. This is a research that I, of course, I made by uh, with judge pt, because I couldn't know my own. So thank you, judge pt. And anyway, again, if every sperm became a baby, even for just this man, the total would be around 6 trillion guys. So the percentage that you hear comes out to be exactly the 0.00000000823%.

Speaker 1: 26:18

So tell me, how can you say you are not a miracle? How can you claim that you have no purpose? I dare you to say that Of course you have a purpose, even if you haven't discovered it yet. So don't be afraid, keep aiming towards your goal and your purpose, whatever it may be, whatever it could be, whatever it may be, and I'm sure you will find one day. Okay. But you have to go through, of course. You have not to be afraid to you know, to investigate, to search, you know, through it.

Speaker 1: 26:58

Now, before wrapping up, let's summarize a little bit. Our purpose is something we discover by taking control of our own lives. Guys, all right, this is scary because it means we must act and face our fears to find meaning, and the main fears that hold us back include fear of public speaking and expressing ourselves often comes from worrying about judgment, and in this case you need to shift your perspective to focus on growth, and connection, of course, can be helpful as well. Number two fear of togetherness and success, which originates from loss of control or other expectations. Okay, in this case it's very important to set boundaries, so it's important to protect your personal space, and also it's very important to prioritize authentic relationships, since they are, you know, very essential.

Speaker 1: 27:59

And the number three is the fear of failure. Fear of failure teaches us lessons and helps us grow. Okay, so mistakes are guides, not punishments. Then we have the fear of the, of the unknown. All right. The fear of the unknown can trap us in routines and limit our creativity. And when you embrace the uncertain guys, you finally open a world of infinite possibilities where you can create your own path. And at the end, we have the fear of death. So this reminds us that life is temporary. Recognizing this can motivate us to live a meaningful impact and embrace our existence as a miracle. All right. So facing this fear, facing all these fears, is essential for discovering your purpose. Life is rare guys, precious and uniquely yours, so you can go through. Taking action despite fear is how you turn potential into purpose. Remember that.

Speaker 1: 29:06

Okay, now I want to conclude with a story. Do you know the story about the widow of Zarephath? The widow of Zarephath had only a little flour and oil left, all right enough for one last meal. And when the prophet Elijah asked her to bake him bread first, she trusted. She had nothing to lose. So she trusted his word and from that moment, her jar of flour and the jug of oil never ran out until the starvation ended. And it's a nice story. It's a story of faith, trust and how God multiplies the little we have when we place it in his hands. Okay, but that's not the story I want to tell you, actually, but I had to start somewhere. So the story I want to share is inspired by this one, by the one I mentioned before, a story I hear many years ago, guys, and it aligns with this topic. So let's call it, because I don't even know the real name. So let's call it the gift of ingredients.

Speaker 1: 30:11

So a woman once prayed Lord, I need a miracle, please give me bread to feed my family. When she opened her eyes, there was no bread on the table. Instead, on the counter was a small jug of oil, a bowl of water and three eggs, all right. So at first she was disappointed. She said this is not what I asked for. She thought. But then she felt a whisper in her heart. There was God that said to her listen, I've given you the ingredients, now create what you need. So you know. She began to mix the eggs, pour the oil and add the water to the flour she still had, and from these simple things she baked a bread. Actually, I think it was a cake. Now that I think about it, I think it was a warm cake. Anyway, the day she realized something important.

Speaker 1: 31:10

Okay, god rarely places the finished gift in our hands, guys. Instead, he gives us the pieces, the resources, the opportunities. So our role is to take them, combine them and make something beautiful. You know that in this podcast I never go. I don't like to talk about politics. I don't like to mix politics with religions. I don't like to mix politics with religions. I think in this podcast, everyone can express himself, itself or herself in the best way ever, right? So when I talk about God, I mean it can be your God, it can be also. You know, the nature gives you something. Guys gave you something, gave you skills, gave you beautiful ingredients, but it's up to you to make something beautiful from it. Okay, life itself is like that we're given the ingredients and the miracle comes when we choose to use them.

Speaker 1: 32:30

Okay, now I want to hear from you, as always what fear are you facing right now that's holding you back from your purpose, guys, and how are you choosing to take action despite it? Send me a message, of course, share your story or connect with me on sub stack. I would love to hear how you're turning, you know fear into growth. And, if you found today's episode helpful, as always, subscribe so you never miss an update, but especially, share this episode with a friend who might need a reminder that facing fear is the first step to living a meaningful life, where, through this meaningful life, you can find his or her purpose. So, thank you so much for being here on journey to success. Remember your life is rare and precious. Taking action today, even in the face of fear, this is how you discover your purpose, guys. I'll see you in the next episode, cheers.