Love or Fear?

Love or Fear?

Photo By: Andre Bohrer

It's been said time and again that some of the funniest comedians come from some of the saddest backgrounds.  Professional funny man Jim Carrey may not completely agree with that assessment in his case, but he cited a specific event in his childhood that has affected his outlook as an adult.

In a commencement address to the Maharishi University of Management in May 2014, Carrey spoke about lessons he learned by observing his late father - lessons that took him from the depths of poverty and lack to the very heights of fame and fortune.

"All that will ever be is what's happening here, and the decisions we make in this moment, which are based on either love or fear. So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality," Carrey said.

"My father could have been a great comedian but he didn't believe that was possible for him, so he made a conservative choice," he continued.  "Instead, he got a 'safe' job as an accountant.  But when I was 12 years old he was let go from that 'safe' job, and our family had to do whatever we could to survive. 

I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which is that you can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.

What a powerful statement!  Knowing that there are no guarantees in life, why not live for love - by pursuing what makes you happy, inspired, challenged - instead of living in fear, playing it "safe," merely existing at a level below your potential? 

It's the same fundamental life choice we talk about so often at the Center for Victory - love or fear?  What Carrey told his audience of graduates about to take on the world contains all the truth any of us needs to live the life we were born to lead:  You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.