In Transitions, Learn to Approach Instead of Avoid

"In 2023, I was sitting in a café in São Paulo with my friend and colleague Rodrigo Vinhas. We were talking about my dream of bringing science-based strategies from Harvard to Brazil-creating courses, training psychologists, building something meaningful back home. But instead of talking about how, I kept explaining why now wasn't the right time. "I just lost some research funding." "My U.S. work isn't stable yet." "Once things settle, I'll start.""

"I wish I could tell you that fear announces itself loudly. It doesn't. It dresses up as logic. It whispers things that sound responsible: But underneath those thoughts is a simple biological truth: Your amygdala-the brain's alarm system-reacts to uncertainty the same way it reacts to danger. It's not trying to sabotage you; it's trying to protect you. The problem is, it can't tell the difference between risk and growth."

Fear functions as the brain's alarm system, protecting but also capable of immobilizing action. The amygdala responds to uncertainty like danger and cannot reliably distinguish threat from growth, producing responsible-sounding reasons that justify avoidance. Avoidance often appears as pragmatic excuses about timing or stability, delaying meaningful initiatives. Personal experience demonstrates how hesitation persists despite clear intentions and encouragement. A simple metaphor about planting a tree emphasizes the importance of starting now. Defining a compelling why helps reduce threat responses and supports action in the presence of discomfort. Growth begins when action happens alongside fear.

Read at Psychology Today