Fear as a Motivator

I have written about when fear should be overcome with love, cancelled out by the opposite emotion, and not have decisions based on fear in your life.

I have to backtrack just a little.

There are times that fear as a motivator does work very well indeed.   In fact, there are some moments that it is indeed the exact way to react.

I have a friend that had her daughter accosted by an adult because of a comment she made to her son.   The woman called the girl over and proceeded to berate and harass her.   The mother, acting on that protective instinct, put herself between the woman and my friend's daughter.   Any parent would probably do the same.   A threat of any type directed toward a person's child does require an immediate response.

Other time there may be a child playing in the street, a person who might get burned on a stove, or an elderly or disabled person being bullied or even abused by another.   All these situations require fast action.  They may indeed require fear.

If there were time, and the level of threat, or perceived injustice were smaller, then a loving response could indeed change things.   With split second actions required, fear is perfectly fine as a motivator.

After the threat has been addressed, then a loving and fair approach to the situation may be employed.

If you can, overcome fear with love.   If not, respond to fear, up until the point where fear either disappears because there is no longer any threat or chance of injury,  or where fear is still present even after the immediate threat is addressed, let time and patience  be employed to once again overcome fear with love.