VLOG—A Minute with Steven

Conquering Fear and Buying Life Insurance

In my adult life, I have researched a multitude of personal growth programs. These have included attitude development; sensitivity training; management training; and mental toughness.

I have to say that by far, the most effective approach to personal growth has been traditional martial arts. There’s a very simple reason for this: my practice of Kung Fu helps me develop self mastery. I develop the skills to control my emotions and remain clearheaded.

A lot of this training has to do with conquering your fears. I mean, when you are sparring against somebody who is almost a foot taller and 80 pounds heavier than you, you literally fear for your life. It’s irrational because this is not really a life-and-death situation, but that very primal fear is provoked.

And the magic is, if you can conquer that very essential fear, you can master any other fear. Nothing is more scary than getting hurt or killed – not losing your job, not going bankrupt; nothing that people are concerned about on an every-day basis.

Interestingly, the purchase of life insurance requires conquering the same type of fear. Life insurance proceeds are payable when you die; therefore, people have to face their death in order to willingly buy a policy. That takes a lot of courage, especially in a society that kind of pretends death is what happens to other, or older people.

But if you think about it, death could happen to anybody at any time. Once you accept that fact and prepare for it – including the purchase of life insurance – then you have become a stronger, and less fearful person.