“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.”
— Frank Herbert, Dune
A few months back, Peanut and I went to Barnes and Noble and I spotted a beautiful hardcover book with its trimmed edges painted with an unavoidable blue.
It was time.
For years, I’ve heard about Dune, the science fiction magnum opus of one Frank Herbert. But it was never the right time to buy it, despite the several times I walked past it. Or more recently, watched the movie(s) that made me want it a little bit more.
Alas, a few months ago, the time had come to buy it.
And today was the day to nab it from my bookshelf and read it.
The quote I started this email with was perfect for today’s email. And since I keep track of the number of emails I write, it just-so-happens that today’s email is the 666th email I’ve written.
(I won’t pretend to understand the deeper meaning behind it.)
Anywho, the blue edges which, within them, a story is withheld is not the only thing different about this book. After finally ripping off its dust jacket to open and getting sucked into this blue-paged painted world, there was a message recessed on the hardcover:
FEAR
IS THE
MIND
KILLER
My mind instantly went to email and business, as it tends to do.
Why?
Not just for selfish reasons—this is what I’m best at, after all—but for you, too.
Because what else is email marketing, copywriting, and the world a business than an extension of the mind? Creativity pouring out from my fingertips each time I sit down to write an email for myself or a client.
And how fear, the little-death that brings total obliteration, stymies all creative and mind purposes.
Take, for example, mayhap the best “tactic” I can offer you:
Sending daily emails.
This tactic is absolutely riddled with little-death.
“What if everyone unsubscribes?” Fear.
“But I HATE getting emails and my inbox is so full, there’s no way anyone would read this.” Fear.
“Won’t a daily email obliterate my deliverability?” Fear.
“How will I even come up with an idea every single day?” Fear.
Or take business for example:
“But most businesses die within their first five years.” Fear.
“How will I get my first customer or client?” Fear.
“If I ‘invest in myself,’ I’m probably just wasting money.” Fear.
Y’see, fear is not only the killer of the mind.
It’s also the little-death of businesses and creativity and human ingenuity.
The same little-death that leads to the obliteration of the mind is the same little-death that causes all downstream effects of the mind—including business, creativity, and ingenuity—to self-destruct too.
And Fear has a hold on us in more than one way.
But you know what?
Aversion to fear is a muscle.
As you get stronger, fear has a lesser stranglehold on you, your thoughts, your behaviors, and your actions. And as with any muscle the human body—which is just an extension of the mind, after all—is capable of, the more you practice, the less control fear has over you.
Take your first test from the universe today:
If you’re not making as much money as you think from your email strategy, take the risk today.
Hit reply.
Let’s jump on a call this week.
And show the universe (and yourself too while we’re at it) that while…
FEAR
IS THE
MIND
KILLER
You are…
THE
FEAR
KILLER
And one who can kill fear, the little-death that brings total obliteration, can succeed despite how the world changes and evolves (or mayhap “devolves”) around them.
That can be you, cully.
All you have to do is hit reply.
John
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