Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers
This classic self-help guide teaches you how to push through fear, doubt, and uncertainty to live a more confident, empowered life. A timeless resource for anyone feeling stuck.
📘 Book Overview
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers is a classic in the self-help genre, offering practical tools to overcome fear, self-doubt, and indecision. Jeffers teaches that fear will always be present when we step outside our comfort zones - but we can act with courage anyway.
🔑 Key Lessons
Fear is natural - it doesn’t go away, but you can move through it
The only way to get rid of fear is to do the thing you fear
Replace helpless thinking with empowering affirmations
Taking responsibility for your life creates confidence and clarity
Action is the antidote to fear - confidence comes after, not before
💬 Top Quotes
“Feel the fear and do it anyway.”
“Pushing through fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness.”
👤 Who Should Read This Book?
Anyone who feels held back by fear, procrastination, or indecision. Perfect for those who want to build confidence, take bold action, and move forward in life despite uncertainty or anxiety.
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🛠 How to Apply Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway in Real Life
The core message of this book is simple yet powerful: fear doesn’t disappear — you just learn to move forward with it. Here are a few gentle ways to start applying its lessons in everyday life:
✅ Choose action over waiting for confidence. Instead of waiting until you “feel ready,” take one small step while still feeling unsure. Confidence is the result of action, not a requirement for it.
✅ Use the phrase “I can handle it.” When anxiety appears, repeat to yourself, “Whatever happens, I can handle it.” This shifts your mindset from avoidance to inner capability, which is at the heart of fearless living.
✅ Reframe fear as a sign of growth. Feeling fear doesn’t mean something is wrong — it often means you're expanding your comfort zone. Recognise fear as evidence that you’re moving toward something meaningful.
✅ Lower the stakes of outcomes. Instead of believing there’s only one “right” result, see each action as practice and learning. When outcomes feel less final, taking courageous steps becomes much easier.
By taking small actions alongside fear, rather than waiting for fear to disappear, you begin to build trust in yourself — exactly as Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway teaches.
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway - Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway?
What is the main message of Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway?
The book’s central message is that fear never goes away - but you can still take action in spite of it. By facing your fears, you build confidence, resilience, and freedom.
Susan Jeffers, PhD, a psychologist and motivational speaker, first published the book in 1987. It has since become a classic in the self-help genre.
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