[davebryand]

So much of the advice I see from YC (PG in this case, I know he isn't YC, but it's all cut from the same cloth) is about how to change your outer circumstances to accommodate inner impediments, such as Fear. They'll offer hacks or "mind games" to trick yourself into moving past the fear, as PG talks about here:

"But it's a bit strange that you have to play mind games with yourself to avoid being discouraged by lame-looking early efforts."

Unfortunately, I don't see anyone over there talking about conquering fear permanently, such that these issues fall away and what is left is boundless creativity.

One tool offered here is to "switch polarity", which means to take the other side of the argument. Fine, but real wisdom comes from transcending polarity.

Another tool offered is to tap into the motivation of curiosity. That's great as "early work" on the inner game, but there are much more robust ways to conquer fear when one looks at cutting edge work on consciousness evolution, such as Integral Dynamics, or studies Eastern traditions like Vajrayana or Zen.

I look forward to the day where YC elevates this discussion toward awakening themselves and their network to more transcendental tools.

[nostrademons]

You don't want to conquer fear entirely. Fear is an important signal. Physical fear keeps you out of danger; ego fear keeps you from wasting lots of time on fruitless things or doing things not in accord with your values.

You want to control fear. Put it in a little box so that it's a signal and not a dictator. Process it so that you're aware of what precisely is making you afraid and can rationally think of ways to mitigate that concern. Fear is a reason to be vigilant and aware, not a reason to freeze up and stop doing what you're doing.

[ta1234567890]

Not the poster who you are replying to, but from the references he gave, I assume he was more or less saying the same as you.

In meditation what you want is to become aware of your feelings/emotions/sensations to a level where you can then very consciously choose what to do when something happens, instead of triggering a knee-jerk reaction.

[hcarvalhoalves]

I've found one way to conquer fear and develop perseverance is to just (gradually) go thru enough hard things and learn to be okay w/ discomfort.

I've never been as active as I wanted in my young years due to weak health, and recently started engaging in outdoor activities I always wanted to do (long-distance hiking, climbing, scuba diving), mostly because I don't enjoy hitting the gym and looking at a wall, but I didn't anticipate the benefit it would have in my psyche.

Now, when faced w/ hardships of life or random sources of stressors, I can relate back to some past experience and think "hey, I did that crazy thing, of course I can handle this other thing here". I don't know if this psychological phenomena has a name, I would only describe as "developing thick skin". I think it also happens naturally to individuals who had a hard upbringing and are hard working nonetheless. Maybe there's some idea to explore here.

[chrisweekly]

Yes, this! I start my days by jumping into an unheated swimming pool (or stepping into an ice-cold shower, when the pool's covered for the coldest months), and one of the main reasons / benefits is the self-mastery involved. "No, I don't want to do this. Yes, I can do it anyway, and start my day with a small victory."

[tomhoward]

I've been (mostly) quietly working on this for several years, after my initially-promising YC (W09) startup failed to take off, having been afflicted by what I realised on deep reflection was mostly fear, egotism and self-sabotage.

Like you I think the concept has huge potential, and I've found some modalities that you haven't mentioned but that I've found particularly powerful, and could be more broadly beneficial for founders and creators generally.

Feel free to hit me up (email in profile, or in Bookface) if you want to connect and discuss further. (Offer is open to anyone else interested too.)

[davebryand]

Thanks Tom! Your profile quote pretty much sums it up:

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate” ― Carl Jung

[ta1234567890]

You are right, there is huge potential in broader knowledge and practice of "consciousness practice".

Wim Hof has been making the rounds on HN lately. His latest book just came out, and I would recommend anyone who is looking for a super straightforward and practical way of systematically facing and overcoming fear, to check out either the book or just download the Wim Hof method app to do the breathing and the cold showers. You really don't need to "believe" anything, just need to try out the basic exercises and see what you feel, then decide if it's something that you want to keep doing or not.

[davebryand]

This is exactly the type of thing we can explore that pays dividends in ways that has a halo effect over everything in our life, not just our startup performance. Thanks for mentioning!

[jlokier]

> One tool offered here is to "switch polarity", which means to take the other side of the argument. Fine, but real wisdom comes from transcending polarity.

I suggest real transcendence of polarity comes from holding both sides of the argument in your mind at the same time until they merge, and spending some time really understanding the other side than the one you're attracted to is a route there.

[sjg007]

Or you know a good course in cognitive behavioral therapy. I often think YC should have an in house therapist or two.

[nudpiedo]

> Unfortunately, I don't see anyone over there talking about conquering fear permanently, such that these issues fall away and what is left is boundless creativity.

Constant reinforcement made by little, constant and almost predictable successes. Read the psychological literature on self confidence (but skip bloggers and influencers)