--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not be afraid. Fear is how they…" description: "\"“Do not be afraid. Fear is how they control you. There's so much in the world you don't have to be afraid of, if you would only open your eyes.”\" — Lei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/925/leigh-bardugo-252_afraid_do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-contro_2908135.png" --- # Do not be afraid. Fear is how they control you. There's so… ![“Do not be afraid. Fear is how they control you. There's so much in the world you don't have to be afraid of, if you would only open your eyes.” quote by Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/925/leigh-bardugo-252_afraid_do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-contro_2908135.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/925/leigh-bardugo-252_afraid_do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-contro_2908135.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/925/leigh-bardugo-252_afraid_do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-contro_2908135.png) > ““Do not be afraid. Fear is how they control you. There's so much in the world you don't have to be afraid of, if you would only open your eyes.”” [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that fear is a tool of control, urging openness to see beyond unnecessary anxieties **In simple terms:** Fear is used to control; open eyes to overcome it Key Takeaway Challenge fear and seek truth Themes fear control awareness Mood cautious empowering Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - activism - education Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What fears are truly necessary? - How can you help others see beyond fear? A Different Perspective Overcoming fear may not eliminate all threats ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ## Related quotes > [“Meeting you was a disaster.” She raised a brow. “Thank you.” Djel, he was terrible at this. He stumbled on, trying to make her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/meeting-you-was-a-disaster-she-raised-a-brow-thank-you-djel-he-was/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Are all Grisha so immodest?” he asked defensively. “Boys and girls train side by side together in the First and Second Armies. There isn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/are-all-grisha-so-immodest-he-asked-defensively-boys-and-girls-train/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Matthias, please." The sound of her voice, pleading with him. He'd dreamed of this. Sometimes she pleaded for mercy. Sometimes there were other things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/matthias-please-the-sound-of-her-voice-pleading-with-him-he-d-dreamed/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Matthias joined them at the table. “The Shu woman we faced was stronger than me, Jesper, and Wylan put together.” “You heard right,” said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/matthias-joined-them-at-the-table-the-shu-woman-we-faced-was-stronger/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“He turned to Nina and said in Fjerdan, “Do not let them cow you. You are not the girl you were. You are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/he-turned-to-nina-and-said-in-fjerdan-do-not-let-them-cow-you-you-are/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“What are you so afraid will happen? Afraid you might start to like me?” He said nothing. Despite her fatigue, she trotted ahead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/what-are-you-so-afraid-will-happen-afraid-you-might-start-to-like-me/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Where do you think the money went?” he repeated. “Guns?” asked Jesper. “Ships?” queried Inej. “Bombs?” suggested Wylan. “Political bribes?” offered Nina. They all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/where-do-you-think-the-money-went-he-repeated-guns-asked-jesper-ships/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Wylan summoned every bit of bravado he'd learned from Nina, the will he'd learned from Matthias, the focus he'd studied in Kaz, the courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo-crooked-kingdom/wylan-summoned-every-bit-of-bravado-he-d-learned-from-nina-the-will/) Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom > [“Instead of being afraid, I could become something to fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/instead-of-being-afraid-i-could-become-something-to-fear/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [In my past, it looked like I could get into trouble in Russia - but I was not afraid then, and I'm not afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pavel-durov/in-my-past-it-looked-like-i-could-get-into-trouble-in-russia-but-i/) [Pavel Durov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pavel-durov/) > [“Open your eyes, the Frenchman on the radio used to say, and see what you can with them before they close forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/open-your-eyes-the-frenchman-on-the-radio-used-to-say-and-see-what/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [Girl all I can say is open your eyes because it seem that I can not help you until you do so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-country/girl-all-i-can-say-is-open-your-eyes-because-it-seem-that-i-can-not/) [Michael Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-country/) > [You keep your eyes closed to block out the hardships, the pain, the unwanted; but in that, the true beauty of the world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-keep-your-eyes-closed-to-block-out-the-hardships-the-pain-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ain't even gotta open your eyes, know what your looking at and I ain't even have to open my eyes when I was cooking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/ain-t-even-gotta-open-your-eyes-know-what-your-looking-at-and-i-ain-t/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega ## More by Leigh Bardugo > [“Aleksander." His eyes fluttered shut. "Don't let me be alone," he murmured. And then he was gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/aleksander-his-eyes-fluttered-shut-don-t-let-me-be-alone-he-murmured/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I don't care if you danced naked on the roof of the Little Palace with him. I love you, Alina, even the part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-don-t-care-if-you-danced-naked-on-the-roof-of-the-little-palace/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Inej frowned. “I thought you and Nina chose four outbreak sites on the Staves.” Kaz straightened his cuffs. “I also had her stop at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-frowned-i-thought-you-and-nina-chose-four-outbreak-sites-on-the/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I rolled my eyes. "For defending my honor, you dullard." He yanked me beneath a shadowed awning. I had a moment's panic when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-rolled-my-eyes-for-defending-my-honor-you-dullard-he-yanked-me/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina" He said. "You and I are going to change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-been-waiting-for-you-a-long-time-alina-he-said-you-and-i-are/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“They're all crazy, Oncat. Invisible armies, monster princes. Let's go set fire to something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/they-re-all-crazy-oncat-invisible-armies-monster-princes-let-s-go-set/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Saints!" I swore. "I forgot how often I want to stab you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/saints-i-swore-i-forgot-how-often-i-want-to-stab-you/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Inej knew the moment Kaz entered the Slat. His presence reverberated through the cramped rooms and crooked hallways as every thug, thief, dealer, con…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-knew-the-moment-kaz-entered-the-slat-his-presence-reverberated/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-risked-my-life-for-you-i-ve-walked-half-the-length-of-ravka-for/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“You never know," said Nikolai. "I've been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet." "Please tell me you plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/you-never-know-said-nikolai-i-ve-been-busy-i-might-have-some/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Sure we do," said Theo, swatting at a branch. "We get to the spring, Alia gets cured. We argue over the best choice for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/sure-we-do-said-theo-swatting-at-a-branch-we-get-to-the-spring-alia/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“But I pushed down my confused tears and did as she asked, still hoping that whatever I’d broken might be repaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/but-i-pushed-down-my-confused-tears-and-did-as-she-asked-still-hoping/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“There, she wrote fantastical tales that charmed children, and under another name, she penned rather more lurid works that kept her in nougat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/there-she-wrote-fantastical-tales-that-charmed-children-and-under/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Short on friends, your highness?" "And long on enemies," replied Nikolai.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/short-on-friends-your-highness-and-long-on-enemies-replied-nikolai/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. “Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I’m going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/jesper-knocked-his-head-against-the-hull-and-cast-his-eyes-heavenward/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) [Explore all 782 Leigh Bardugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Do not be afraid. Fear is how they control you. There's so much in the world you don't have to be afraid of, if you would only open your eyes.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leigh Bardugo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-control-you-there-s-so-much-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-control-you-there-s-so-much-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/925/leigh-bardugo-252_afraid_do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-contro_2908135.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/925/leigh-bardugo-252_afraid_do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-contro_2908135.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/925/leigh-bardugo-252_afraid_do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-contro_2908135.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do not be afraid. Fear is how they control you. There's so much in the world you don't have to be afraid of…” — Leigh Bardugo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leigh Bardugo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Do not be afraid. Fear is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-control-you-there-s-so-much-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/do-not-be-afraid-fear-is-how-they-control-you-there-s-so-much-in-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```