When I was five years old, I really wanted to drive. 

I liked cars. 

Or maybe, I just fancied the idea of driving at that age…

So, one day, 

I wasn’t feeling well and my mom brought me some medicine for me to take. 

Like most kids, I didn’t want to take it. 

But then, on a second thought, I asked her, “If I take this medicine, will you let me drive?”

She said yes. 

She really didn’t think much of it. 

I mean, no one would think a five year old could find car keys, right? 

But somehow, I did. 

My mom was busy with a visitor that day. 

So I told my older sister to come with me and she brought along the visitor’s baby.

We opened the car and got in. 

Then I started the car. 

I kept trying to move it, but I didn’t know how to change the gears. (was a manual car)

The car was facing a well. 

It could have gone really wrong. 

But I wasn’t scared. 

I didn’t even know what fear was. 

No one had told me about accidents or what could happen if I lost control.

Minutes in, my mom heard the sound of the car. 

She rushed out and got me (draggged me out, haha). 

Otherwise, I might have figured out how to change the gear. 

That would have been a different story altogether.

Haha.

That’s the thing about fear,

It’s something we learn.

Fear Is Learned

I got reminded of this whole experience by a video on Twitter (X). 

A little girl tried to eat a snake. 

She definitely thought it was chocolate. 

Fair enough, the snake was mix brown, so maybe it looked like something tasty to her. 

But that’s the point.

She had no idea it was dangerous.

Fear didn’t stop her because, just like me in the car, There was absolutely no valid reason to be afraid yet.

Fear doesn’t come naturally. We learn it.

Fear in Life

Think about life. 

When you’re not exposed to scary news, negative stories, or warnings, you’re more likely to try new things. 

People who don’t hear about business failures are more willing to invest. 

If you don’t watch the news every day, you might not worry about things going wrong all the time.

When there’s no fear, you act freely. 

You experiment. 

You take risks. 

But the moment you start hearing about all the bad things that could happen, it holds you back.

So, fear can be a good thing when it stops us from making bad choices. 

But it can also limit us when we let it control everything.

Fear in Marketing and Advertising

Now, let’s take this idea into marketing.

Just like in life, fear plays a big role in how customers make decisions. 

When people are afraid, they don’t buy as easily. 

But if they don’t know what to fear, they might be more open to trying new products or services.

This is where advertisers and marketers can use fear to their advantage. 

Sometimes, you need to create a bit of fear to make people act. 

For example, you show them what they could miss out on if they don’t buy your product. 

Or, you highlight the risks of not having something.

But, here’s the trick, 

You need balance. 

If you use too much fear, it can backfire. 

People might get so scared that they don’t act at all.

How to Use Fear Wisely in Marketing

If you’re in marketing or advertising, you should learn how to use fear smartly. 

It’s a tool.

For example, in advertising, you might show people the consequences of not using your product, maybe their health gets worse, or they miss out on a big opportunity. 

But you also need to offer a solution that takes the fear away. That’s where you bring in your product as the answer to their problem.

Fear is like fire. Use just enough to spark action, but not so much that it burns everything down.

This was never the plan

I never planned writing this long or even bring business or marketing into this,

But, yeah, I felt geeky today.

Haha.

So,

At the end of the day, fear is powerful. 

It controls many decisions in life and business. 

But the key is knowing how to manage it.

Whether it’s in your personal life or in your marketing.

Use fear when you need to, but don’t let it stop you from moving forward.

Until next time, 

Stay frosty.

C.