Filed Under: English confidence
Fear is the mind-killer
May 20, 2021 , by Dr Julian Northbrook
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” ― Frank Herbert, DuneThe best English in the world means nothing if fear stops you from using it. "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” — maybe, maybe not. I’ll leave that for the philosophers to decide. But what I do know is that a good idea left unsaid because you’re too afraid to make a sound (i.e. to speak up in your next meeting) helps nobody. Least of all you. The topic of fear comes up a lot in member coaching calls. Recently, one of my EES members asked, "How can I stop feeling afraid before I have an English meeting?”. Here's an extract: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhCO0PRwOCs Best, Dr Julian Northbrook
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