What’s the difference between playing on our home court/field or the opponent’s? Oh yes, there is the sound of the home crowd, but my experience of that as an athlete was it was noisy on the road and noisy at home. For the purpose of this conversation can we consider that we are naturally afraid of the unknown, i.e., what can happen in this strange neighborhood?

Since no one knows what’s going to happen, that is a fear we have, home court or not. Without the familiar environment of home (our neighborhood), our fears are exaggerated such that we become fearful of our fears being exposed. How will we behave? Will we be embarrassed, maligned and, therefore, ineffective?

It really isn’t the result we produce, but what people will think of us. Studies show that what we think other people think influences over 70% of the decisions we make. Most of the time it is using what one might call “conventional wisdom.” Here’s a little secret, “conventional wisdom” doesn’t work and it never did.

When faced with the double-edged sword of being fearful of what fear’s effect will have on us we need to be disagreeable. I don’t mean nasty, cantankerous or troublesome. I mean creating actions that suit us without concern about agreement. When people compete in someone else’s “neighborhood” they tend to be conservative in their play. We protect ourselves by using the “right” strategy, the safer play, etc. I want you to consider that this is the time to be daring.

Since no one knows how anything will turn out, why not trust our selves and take a risk? Do anything that requires you or your team to be fully engaged to execute. Automatic behavior won’t overcome the ”fear of fearful behavior.” If you are concerned about “looking good,” about what other people will think about you, you will rob yourself of your greatest asset, “Being Yourself.”