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b'We typically think of fear as a negative emotion. Something that feels terrible, and not only keeps us away from true danger, but also inhibits us from going after our life\'s goals and passions.\\xa0\\n\\nFear can indeed be an unwelcome hindrance, but, my guest today argues, it can also be a powerful propellant and a signpost towards success. His name is Patrick Sweeney, he\'s a tech entrepreneur, a university lecturer, a coach and consultant to CEOs, professional athletes, and Navy SEALs, and the author of Fear Is Fuel: The Surprising Power to Help You Find Purpose, Passion, and Performance. We begin our conversation with how a diagnosis\\xa0of leukemia forced Patrick to confront the fact that he had led a life dominated and shrunken by fear, and inspired\\xa0him to face those fears and to spend\\xa0six years talking to leading neuroscientists about how to live more courageously. He explains how fear should be thought of not only as an early warning system for danger, but as an early warning system\\xa0for opportunity. We then unpack the three kinds of fears which exist, and how you can be fearful in one area but courageous\\xa0in another. Patrick then explains how it\'s possible\\xa0to train the brain\'s courage center to control and reprogram its\\xa0fear center, so you can get the best from fear, rather than letting it get the best of you. We discuss how uncertainty creates something called "free energy," how free energy creates fear, and how to reduce both forces by exposing yourself to a wide range of experiences. We end our conversation with how to find the motivation to take the first step into a fear, and three things you can do to gain the confidence to take action in the face of uncertainty.\\n\\nGet the show notes at aom.is/fearisfuel.'