This is episode two of a three part series on the destructive power of fear. If you missed the first one, you can find it by clicking on the video blog tab at FAREHypnosis.com. It will be in the archives.
Your brain is hard-wired to protect you and keep you safe. As a result it is constantly scanning the environment for problems. Thus is why it is harder to notice the positive things in life than the negatives. The purpose of the emotion of fear is to let you know you that you don’t feel safe or secure.
When you experience any strong emotion, especially fear, you become highly sensitive to persuasive suggestions, those given by persons you look up to in some way.
For example, let’s say you are scrolling through Facebook or Instagram and you see an ad featuring your favorite athlete who’s now retired, but still looks strong and vital. He says, “Did you know that not working out aerobically for an hour every day can cause heart disease and early death. Your heart is a muscle and you have to work it everyday, just like all of the muscles in your body. And I know you want to live a long healthy life (Video shows a sickly man being pushed in a wheel chair), not a sickly one where you can’t do the things you want to do in retirement, or become dependent on others to take care of you in the simplest of ways. So sign up for my exercise program for only two dollars a day.” And you may think, “I only work out twice a week. how great he looks. He obviously knows what he’s talking about, look at what great shape he’s in. I better sign up now!”
Many sales classes teach students how to first build the fear of something negative, so that the customer feels compelled to buy the product or service right away. Ads use famous people or actors playing the role of a doctor, scientist, or financial advisor, adding credibility to the fear they are trying to instill so you act on their suggestion.
And it’s not just sales and advertising. This is a common technique deeply ingrained in most cultures. Fear is sometimes used in an innocent way, but often, it’s used manipulatively. All kinds of people do this, but the tactic of creating fear to get what someone wants is prevalent in parenting, religion, politics, and in the media.
At times the intent is obvious, sometimes it’s subtle. In any case, the objective is to make you feel inadequate, unworthy or incapable in some way, which then creates fear. Some highly persuasive suggestions may make you fear that your basic physical, psychological, or spiritual needs won’t be met – certainty and comfort, growth, connection, contribution, and significance.
Everyone wants and needs to feel safe and secure, so the greatest motivator to getting a person to act is to create fear.
Now that you understand why fear is so powerful, tune in next week when I discuss why adding repetition is the icing on the proverbial cake.
I’m Roberta Fernandez, a Board Certified hypnotist and Certified Trainer at FARE Hypnosis, helping you take back control, by unlocking the power of your mind to reach your goals of any kind.
