--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fear is a liar and a good one at that…" description: "\"“Fear is a liar and a good one at that, Fear feeds on self doubt and insecurities both internal and external. Know this, optimism, faith, and resilienc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ad/donavan-nelson-butler-master-s_confidence_fear-is-a-liar-and-a-good-one-at-that-fe_2767961.jpg" --- # Fear is a liar and a good one at that, Fear feeds on self… ![“Fear is a liar and a good one at that, Fear feeds on self doubt and insecurities both internal and external. Know this, optimism, faith, and resilience are like penicillin to fear if it has been allowed in. But the best course of action is to not feed it in the first place.” quote by Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ad/donavan-nelson-butler-master-s_confidence_fear-is-a-liar-and-a-good-one-at-that-fe_2767961.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ad/donavan-nelson-butler-master-s_confidence_fear-is-a-liar-and-a-good-one-at-that-fe_2767961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ad/donavan-nelson-butler-master-s_confidence_fear-is-a-liar-and-a-good-one-at-that-fe_2767961.jpg) > ““Fear is a liar and a good one at that, Fear feeds on self doubt and insecurities both internal and external. Know this, optimism, faith, and resilience are like penicillin to fear if it has been allowed in. But the best course of action is to not feed it in the first place.”” [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear thrives on doubt; optimism, faith, and resilience counteract it like medicine. **In simple terms:** Fear feeds on self‑doubt. Key Takeaway Cultivate optimism and resilience. Themes psychology resilience leadership Mood determined encouraging Type motivational instructional When to use this quote - combat training - stressful missions - personal setbacks Key Concepts fear self‑doubt mental health Questions to Reflect On - How do you build lasting optimism? - What practices reinforce resilience? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubt Insecurities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt-insecurities-3220008/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Liar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-liar-1807503/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Good Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-fear-398883/) [Insecurities Internal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insecurities-internal-3220009/) [Military-quote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-quote/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Self doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-doubt/) [Strength through adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength-through-adversity/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes the point isn't to make people believe a lie - it's to make people fear the liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/sometimes-the-point-isn-t-to-make-people-believe-a-lie-it-s-to-make/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Fear is a Liar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie/fear-is-a-liar/) [Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie/) > [Every fighter that ever lived had fear. 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We are tough, brilliant, and carbon based entities which evolved into something better under immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/what-do-i-and-a-diamond-have-in-common-we-are-tough-brilliant-and/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“The greatest risk most of us will take in our lifetime is that of repression or denial of basic rights of another person. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/the-greatest-risk-most-of-us-will-take-in-our-lifetime-is-that-of/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“Let's make a deal, if you don't blame me for your failures I won't take credit for your successes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/let-s-make-a-deal-if-you-don-t-blame-me-for-your-failures-i-won-t/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) ## More by Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army > [“Let's make a deal, if you don't blame me for your failures I won't take credit for your successes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/let-s-make-a-deal-if-you-don-t-blame-me-for-your-failures-i-won-t/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“In leadership that 20/20 vision sometimes becomes 20/40 or 30/50 depending on how close you are to the situation. To my AG Warrior I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/in-leadership-that-20-20-vision-sometimes-becomes-20-40-or-30-50/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“The greatest risk most of us will take in our lifetime is that of repression or denial of basic rights of another person. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/the-greatest-risk-most-of-us-will-take-in-our-lifetime-is-that-of/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“A leader who allows their subordinates to suffer as proof of who is the boss likely quenches their thirst with salt water from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/a-leader-who-allows-their-subordinates-to-suffer-as-proof-of-who-is/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“What do I and a diamond have in common? We are tough, brilliant, and carbon based entities which evolved into something better under immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/what-do-i-and-a-diamond-have-in-common-we-are-tough-brilliant-and/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“It’s always amazing, when I think about this exact time every year. My goals seemed so lofty and far away. Today, I see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/it-s-always-amazing-when-i-think-about-this-exact-time-every-year-my/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“Life Algebra 101 - I truly value my own ignorance of what is to come for me, It is those unknown variables the shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/life-algebra-101-i-truly-value-my-own-ignorance-of-what-is-to-come/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“When you realize you've evolved from the mentored to the Mentor it gives much more to the meaning and lessons learned in life as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/when-you-realize-you-ve-evolved-from-the-mentored-to-the-mentor-it/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“Where your soul meets your purpose is the azimuth known as your passion and from there you can plot points of inspiration and achievable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/where-your-soul-meets-your-purpose-is-the-azimuth-known-as-your/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“During my road trip of life I have encountered many potholes, areas under construction, delays caused by others on the same road, and 18…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/during-my-road-trip-of-life-i-have-encountered-many-potholes-areas/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“The day my NCO support channel abandoned me like a unwanted child at a Fire Station to a toxic commander was the same day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/the-day-my-nco-support-channel-abandoned-me-like-a-unwanted-child-at/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“The death of unit morale is always precipitated by the neglect of a Soldiers and families health and welfare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/the-death-of-unit-morale-is-always-precipitated-by-the-neglect-of-a/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“A leader is skating up hill on a slippery slope when Servant Leadership is not part of a leaders philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/a-leader-is-skating-up-hill-on-a-slippery-slope-when-servant/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“There are circumstances which can only be created and remedied in a crucible of fury, fire, and destruction like the serotinous cones of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/there-are-circumstances-which-can-only-be-created-and-remedied-in-a/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) > [“If you haven't learned to love yourself you are in reality living a lie proclaiming to be in love with someone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/if-you-haven-t-learned-to-love-yourself-you-are-in-reality-living-a/) [Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) [Explore all 64 Donavan Nelson Butler, Master Sergeant US Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavan-nelson-butler-master-sergeant-us-army/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. 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