High-wire daredevil Nik Wallenda is the holder of seven Guinness World Records, among which are the highest four-level eight-person pyramid on the wire, the highest and longest bicycle ride on a wire, and hanging from a helicopter by his teeth. He has walked across Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon in stunts broadcast to 178 countries around the world. He is also the author of a new book, Facing Fear: Step Out in Faith and Rise Above What’s Holding You Back, which tells the story of Nik and his family, seven generations of aerial artists, and offers practical advice for readers to overcome whatever fears are holding them back in life or business.
Beyond Nik’s superhero, daredevil powers, there is something even more important to learn from his story: the presence of fear—how it shows up, or in some cases doesn’t; what it means; and what each one of us can do with it.
Listen to the full episode to hear Nik’s story and how he came to do what he does.
A few lessons from Nik…
- There are two kinds of fear: healthy and unhealthy. Healthy fear is the experience of fear, while unhealthy fear is the emotion of it. Healthy fear causes us to respect the situation—for example, training and preparing for a presentation to the board. Unhealthy fear tells you not to prepare and not to even step into that boardroom because you’re so scared—not to step out of your comfort zone and not to pursue your dreams.
- “We’ve always done it this way, so we’re going to continue to do it that way”—or settling for the status quo—is the reason a lot of industries or organizations die and go away. Instead of dismissing a future in what you do, change the way you do it.
- The words that we speak, the things that we listen to, the stuff that we pump into our head molds you and changes you. There is so much negativity in the news these days, it can pull you down; it can change your entire demeanor. So be smart about what you say, what you hear, what you listen to and what you watch, because it can affect the direction of your life.
Click here to listen to Nik’s episode now!
SUCCESS Stories is no longer releasing new episodes on the SUCCESS Podcast Network, but you can still listen to the full conversation below.
