From the Founder, Brian Mazza 9/26
Fear is the Real Opponent
Whether you are an athlete, a parent, or a business owner, the opponent is never the person across the field or the competitor down the street. The real opponent is fear, and how it destroys your path every single time.
I came across an article in Inc. about the top fears that hold people back. Here is my take on them, through the lens of performance, parenting, and leadership.
1. Change
Athlete: Change is the new training program that feels uncomfortable. That discomfort is the signal you are growing.
Father: Change is watching your kids evolve. You can either resist it or lead them through it.
Business owner: If you resist change in business, you are already behind.
2. Loneliness
Athlete: Training alone builds resilience. No crowd, no applause, just you and the work.
Father: Loneliness is what happens if you don’t invest in relationships with your kids. Show up and you’ll never be lonely in fatherhood.
Business owner: Surround yourself with the right people. Isolation kills momentum.
3. Failure
Athlete: Failure is the scoreboard. It stings, but it is feedback. Use it. Tape it. Review it.
Father: If your kids never see you fail, they will never learn how to handle their own.
Business owner: Failure is tuition for the school of entrepreneurship. You pay for it, but you grow from it.
4. Rejection
Athlete: Try out, compete, step up. Rejection sharpens the edge.
Father: Teach your kids rejection is not the end, it is redirection.
Business owner: Rejection from investors, clients, or partners is just a filter. It points you toward the right people.
5. Uncertainty
Athlete: Every game, every race carries uncertainty. That is what makes it worth it.
Father: Kids are unpredictable. That’s not chaos, it’s growth.
Business owner: Uncertainty is the only constant in business. Adaptability is the new stability.
6. Something Bad Happening
Athlete: Injury is always a risk. But never stepping on the field is a greater one.
Father: Protect your kids, but don’t overprotect them. Let them experience challenges.
Business owner: Things will go wrong. Expect it, prepare for it, keep moving.
7. Getting Hurt
Athlete: Pain is part of progress. No pain, no breakthrough.
Father: Emotional hurt is part of raising kids. You can’t shield them from everything.
Business owner: Deals fall apart. People let you down. Keep building.
8. Being Judged
Athlete: The crowd will always have opinions. Run your race anyway.
Father: If you parent for the approval of others, you lose sight of what your kids really need.
Business owner: Judgment is free. Results are earned.
9. Inadequacy
Athlete: Everyone feels not good enough at some point. The question is, do you keep showing up?
Father: Your kids don’t need perfection, they need present.
Business owner: Imposter syndrome is real. But remember, action cures doubt.
10. Loss of Freedom
Athlete: Discipline is freedom. Skip the discipline and you lose the freedom to perform.
Father: Freedom is not disappearing from your kids, it is being present with them.
Business owner: Systems and structure create freedom, not chaos.
The article was right: staying in your comfort zone guarantees a small life. The playbook is the same whether you are running sprints, raising kids, or running companies, fear cannot drive. Fear might sit in the passenger seat, but you are always in control of the wheel.
Shut up. Suit up. Show up. The only way through fear is forward.
