Three step fear facing framework
The obstacle is the way
In the 80s, I studied in the Georgian city of Bath. After graduation, I lived and worked elsewhere in the UK. Then in 1993 my wife and I moved into a flat in Bath. A management company owned the freehold and was responsible for maintaining and insuring the building. Each flat had a fifth share in the company and I became its secretary. It became apparent that we, as flat owners, had a problem. The owners of one flat had undertaken building work without planning permission. This, I understood, invalidated our buildings insurance. I feared the consequences of not acting to rectify the situation. Equally, I was uncertain how to tackle it. Much thinking and debate ensued. I decided to pressure the flat owners to seek retrospective planning permission. My heart was pounding as I hit the email send button.
Fear facing framework
Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action - Benjamin Disraeli
Tim Ferriss’ fear facing framework proved very useful. He explained it in his TED Talk titled Why you should define your fears instead of your goals.
The framework applies to actions we are considering taking, e.g. buying a house or starting a company. In my case, sending an email to my neighbour, insisting they apply for planning permission.
Here’s the three step framework and how I applied it:
Define: Define the worst-case scenarios associated with taking a particular action. Imagine what could go wrong then write it down.
Uppermost in my mind were two poor outcomes resulting from me sending the email. Firstly, I may find myself isolated and out of step with the views of other flat owners. Secondly, formally raising the matter may expose the flat owners to greater financial risk, in the event of an insurance claim.
Prevent: Identify actions to reduce the likelihood of these worst-case scenarios from happening. Planning helps mitigate the risks.
To minimise the isolation risk, I obtained agreement from flat owners before acting. In doing this, I adhered to the company’s Articles of Association. In relation to the financial risk, I concluded that no action exposed us to a greater degree.
Repair: Outline strategies to repair the damage if the worst-case scenarios occurred. Identify resources, people, or actions that could help recover.
If isolated then I could have resigned as company secretary. Also, if the email was not successful then greater collective responsibility could be sought.
Stoic foundation
We suffer more often in imagination than in reality - Seneca
The fear facing framework is grounded in Stoic philosophy. The practice of premeditatio malorum translates to the premeditation of evils. This involves contemplating potential negative outcomes to reduce the impact of future misfortunes.
Other resources
Define Your Fears Talk by Tim Ferriss
Better Decisions in 6 Steps post by Phil Martin
Clear Thinking post by Phil Martin
My email had the desired effect. Retrospective planning permission was sought and granted. The fear facing framework had done its job.
Have fun.
Phil…
This is so true, Lovely Article.👌