#121: Fear Is Fuel: The Surprising Power to Help You Find Purpose, Passion, and Performance

Published: April 17, 2020, 4:58 p.m.

In this, the newest Episode of my RedZone Podcast, my guest is Patrick Sweeney. Since this interview, Patrick has become a best selling author as his new book, Fear Is Fuel: The Surprising Power to Help You Find Purpose, Passion, and Performance, has hit the Wall Street Journal's Best Seller List at #5! A fantastic achievement.

Patrick has been dubbed the “Fear Guru” for his work with more than 500 global CEOs, actors, professional athletes, Navy SEALs and corporations. He inspires 25,000 people each year through keynote speeches teaching tools to live the biggest, most fulfilling life possible. He also lectures at leading universities from Harvard Business School to the University of Virginia.

Before earning a top tier MBA, he placed second in the Olympic Trials in rowing and is the only person to ever summit Mt. Elbrus, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and Everest Base Camp by bicycle and in 2018 won the Race Across America in a four-person team. He is also the first person to attempt cycling the seven summits. In Feb 2015 he became the first person to officially bike to Everest Base Camp in Nepal, the summit of Kilimanjaro and the summit of Elbrus.

He was the founder and CEO of four technology companies, holds seven patents, produced award-winning adventure documentary films and is an angel investor in over 30 start-ups. He was the Chairman of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) Sports & Entertainment Network, and has appeared on CNBC, CNN, Good Morning America, Fox News and the Today Show.

Few people know what it's like to be in a prison of fear their entire life. For over 30 years fear drove Patrick's choices and actions, and he missed out on countless amazing opportunities that life presented him.

After contracting a rare form of leukemia, Patrick found courage as a super-power. Curiosity led him to discover the neuroscience behind his life changing transformation so, he interviewed three dozen of the World's top neuroscientists. Those sessions changed his thinking and instilled a new mission in Patrick to share what he learned and help others transform their life from fear-based to confident and courageous.

There are two ways that you make decisions in life either out of fear or out of opportunity. The first leads to regret, shame and failure; the last leads to growth, happiness, success and learning. In this conversation, Patrick and I discuss how 70% to 80% of our decisions are made subconsciously out of fear, based on what neuroscientists call prior beliefs.

These preconceived beliefs are what create subconscious fear, and unless we can ask ourselves powerful questions and replace judgement with curiosity, these fears will play out throughout our lives.

Patrick shares some fantastic stories and we talk about how changing this type of thinking and decision making is particularly relevant for CEOs, like myself, and for CIOs and IT Leaders like those in my CIO Innovation Forum groups.

Listen to this podcast episode to learn more about understanding and finding your hidden fears. Then grab a copy of Patrick Sweeney's new book, Fear Is Fuel: The Surprising Power to Help You Find Purpose, Passion, and Performance. He wants to teach you courage, confidence how to achieve peak performance. His mission is to help millions around the world use fear as fuel.

Here are some of things that you will learn in this podcast episode.

  • How can you enhance your internal database'?
  • What does Patrick mean when he talks about your tribe' and the 3 layers that are critical?
  • How to find your hidden fears?
  • What is the terror triangle?
  • How can you double your mind's capacity for processing?
  • What is the difference between a physical and emotional journey?
  • How can you develop a blueprint for bravery and courage?
  • How to stop that amygdala from hijacking your decisions?
  • Why is it important to scare yourself every day?
  • How four by four' breathing can clear your mind?

How to Connect with Patrick Sweeney:

Books Published:

Fear Is Fuel: The Surprising Power to Help You Find Purpose, Passion, and Performance, by Patrick Sweeney II, published by Rowman & Littlefield, 3 Feb 2020.

Read Full Transcript:

You can go to the show notes to get more information about this interview and what we discussed in this episode. You’ll find the show notes at redzonetech.net/podcasts.

Leave A Review:

I hope you enjoyed this interview with Patrick Sweeney.

If you liked this episode, I want you to forward it on your LinkedIn page to your community. I also want you to like and leave comments about the episode on iTunes, and for my droid listeners on Stitcher. 

Until next time. I’m signing off. Thank you and have a great day!

About Bill Murphy:

Bill Murphy is a world renowned IT Security Expert dedicated to your success as an IT business leader.

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Music provided by Ben’s Sound: http://www.bensound.com/

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