Bruce Lee, Micky Spillane, “City Slickers” (1991) and the antidote for Fear

Remember that movie? With Billy Crystal trying to learn how to “toughen up” as a cowboy, and Jack Palance as the leathery old cowboy Obi-Wan? There is a priceless scene that is actually so powerful I love remembering it. In it, Curly explains his core life philosophy to Billy Crystal:”

Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is? This. [holds up one finger]

Mitch: Your finger?

Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean shit.

Mitch: But what is the “one thing?”

Curly: [smiles] That’s what you have to find out.

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Creating the WARRIOR WOMAN’S JOURNEY course with Dawn Callan, I was reminded of this, and its applications to business…but then remembering the first time I grasped its power. As with so many other things, this initial realization connected with the martial arts, so it became something useful for the course. Let’s talk the One Thing…and fear.

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The illusion, of course, is that the goal is to live without fear. That would be like living with neuropathy, such that you can’t feel if you are bumping, burning, or cutting yourself. Fear is a necessary warning. But when we let it stop us from performing as we need or wish to, from growing and learning, trying new things or meeting new people…then we want to ask if those are fears that help us…