#2 Preparation Kills the Fear

When things get complex, our minds often spiral into all the things that could go wrong. That’s just our defense system kicking in — trying to keep us safe. I think I stopped spiraling like that on April 23rd, 2022. 

That was the day before I ran my first marathon. I had signed up just four months before, with no running plan, no sports watch, and no clue how to prepare. My longest training run was 22 km — far from ideal. I knew how hard that 22 km had felt. The thought of doubling it left me with nothing but questions: What will those last 20 kilometers feel like? Will I collapse? Should I switch to the half-marathon instead? That evening before the race, fear hit me hard. There was no strategy. No plan. My brain kept looping through the worst-case scenarios.

To make matters worse, my ad hoc idea was to wear a fashion watch with a leather strap — just to keep track of the time. But even that plan fell apart. The battery was dead, and it was too late to buy a new one. We tried to swap the battery with my sister’s, but my dad accidentally broke the glass. So we taped it together. Ridiculous, but functional. At least I’d have some sense of time.

In that chaotic moment, my dad asked: “How long do you think it’ll take you to run the marathon?” Frustrated, I snapped, “Why do you ask a question like that?! I don’t even know if I can finish it!” He smiled and said: “Dora... you chose to do this. Try to enjoy tomorrow." His contagious optimism broke my anxiety loop. He reminded me why I signed up in the first place: To try. To find out. And to enjoy the day.

In that moment, my mind finally calmed. I simplified everything and saw two scenarios:

1. I finish the marathon.
2. I fall somewhere along the way because my body gives up.

Both were fine. There was no third scenario — no giving up. No stopping. If I finish, amazing. If I don’t, I’ll discover where my limit is.

That clarity carried me through the race. No injuries. No problems. And, a huge lesson. You can succeed without preparation — but it’s not worth the stress. Why rely on luck when you can rely on preparation?

Since then, I’ve committed to never showing up to a challenge unprepared. Before any challenge, I’m asking myself: What's the highest level of preparation I can achieve? What else can I learn? How can I eliminate uncertainty? My best friend jokes about my love for preparation, saying that running taught me to always stay a few steps ahead.

Preparation kills fear. Confusion and anxiety stem from lack of knowledge and readiness. There's a profound difference between standing at the starting line hoping you'll "somehow manage" versus standing there with confident optimism.

So next time you're facing something big — give yourself the gift of preparation. Train. Learn. Ask questions. Practice.

And if you feel fear creeping in, try to think about these two scenarios.

• You give your 100% and it works.
• You give your 100% and it doesn’t.

As the daughter of a friend once said while cheering for her uncle in a race: "NO STOP!".  I think that should be a real sign on every challenge we face in life.

Remember: Preparation doesn’t just make success more likely - it eliminates fear and uncertainty so you can focus on what truly matters.