All people have fears. Sometimes these fears can prevent us from success. When I have fears at work, for example, they can stress me out so much that I miss the creative, innovative solutions that are right before my eyes. One way of dealing with these debilitating fears is through visualization and practice. I call this the “Tar Baby” approach. If you go to Disneyland, you’ll find a fun water ride there called “Splash Mountain.” The ride has a back story going on in miniatures all along the way. It is the story of how Brer Bear wants to beat up Brer Rabbit and Brer Rabbit says: “Do whatever you want, but please don’t throw me in the briar patch.” Of course this is silly to the viewer because Brer Rabbit was born in a briar patch.
The thing that scares us is the briar patch. To conquer the fear we can visualize us getting along with the things that causes us fear. Imagine yourself having success instead of failure. When the moment you once feared comes, you will not fear it. Like Brer Rabbit you will laugh and say: “I live in the briar patch.”
Enjoy the ride.
2 Comments
Ummm, I think one of us missed the point of that story…
I thought the idea was that we should lie to our enemies and make them think we like things that we really don’t and don’t like things that we really do. This way, they will withold things we wouldn’t want (they think we really do want that) and when they want to do “bad” things to us, they will really be doing things that we enjoy or sending us where we want to go…this way we will be “laughing all the way to the briar patch” :)
Now, who’s right, Damien or me?
…I suppose it’s going to be Damien since this is his site.
Nicks last blog post..The Bright Side Of The Current Economic Situation
This is my favorite ride of all time. I love the lessons the story teaches and find that there are many applications and interpretations within. I get the point you are making here. You have given me something to think about regarding facing my fears. Not sure if it’s appropriate to reference one of my own posts within the comments section of others blogs. Perhaps you could tell me the protocol. But I share with you a post I too wrote from the story of Brer Rabbit. It’s called, “Got A Laughin Place?” Here ’tis: http://thebwildecolumn.blogspot.com/2008/09/got-laughin-place.html
B. Wildes last blog post..Being Volunteered to Shovel-out the Barn
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Live in the Briar Patch
[...] The B. Wilde Column: Got A Laughin’ Place? My article 2 days ago is focused on the same ideals as this article. I hadn’t read his yet but it gave me chills when I did because we are talking about similar truths. Check both out (his above, mine below): http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/live-in-the-briar-patch/ [...]