--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't feed fear then fear cannot feed on…" description: "\"“Don't feed fear then fear cannot feed on you.”\" — M.L. Shanahan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/m-l-shanahan-25829_fear_don-t-feed-fear-then-fear-cannot-feed-on_2468880.jpg" --- # Don't feed fear then fear cannot feed on you. ![“Don't feed fear then fear cannot feed on you.” quote by M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/m-l-shanahan-25829_fear_don-t-feed-fear-then-fear-cannot-feed-on_2468880.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/m-l-shanahan-25829_fear_don-t-feed-fear-then-fear-cannot-feed-on_2468880.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/m-l-shanahan-25829_fear_don-t-feed-fear-then-fear-cannot-feed-on_2468880.jpg) > ““Don't feed fear then fear cannot feed on you.”” [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoid feeding fear, because fear feeds on attention; denying it starves it. **In simple terms:** Starve fear by not giving it attention. Key Takeaway Do not feed fear. Themes fear mindset control resilience Mood cautious motivational empowering Type advice self‑help psychological When to use this quote - stress management - public speaking - personal growth - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology self‑regulation Questions to Reflect On - What fears are you feeding? - How can you confront legitimate threats? A Different Perspective Some fears are rooted in legitimate threats that need addressing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ## Related quotes > [“Don't feed your ego with my soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arzum-uzun/don-t-feed-your-ego-with-my-soul/) [Arzum Uzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arzum-uzun/) > [“Do not feed fear. Starve it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poppet/do-not-feed-fear-starve-it/) Poppet > [By running from what we fear, we feed the inner darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/by-running-from-what-we-fear-we-feed-the-inner-darkness/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [“Use the fear; feed the anger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-terry/use-the-fear-feed-the-anger/) [Teri Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-terry/) > [“Fear is the most prized illusion we create for ourselves, dear. Never be afraid of such louts. They feed on our fear,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novoneel-chakraborty/fear-is-the-most-prized-illusion-we-create-for-ourselves-dear-never/) [Novoneel Chakraborty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novoneel-chakraborty/) > [“I feed on fear. A certain biochemical reaction happens when a predator becomes prey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachai-blackthorn/i-feed-on-fear-a-certain-biochemical-reaction-happens-when-a-predator/) Malachai Blackthorn > [“As a writer, I will go down any dark alley, inch my way through the tightest crawl space, and feed on your every fear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-watkins/as-a-writer-i-will-go-down-any-dark-alley-inch-my-way-through-the/) Barbara Watkins > [“Feed your soul; books, places, people, anything. That helps it grow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/feed-your-soul-books-places-people-anything-that-helps-it-grow/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) S.F. Chandler > [I went to a motivational training course once, a course of self-discovery, and I found out after a week that my fear - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-steward/i-went-to-a-motivational-training-course-once-a-course-of-self/) [Emanuel Steward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-steward/) > [Fear not. For fear itself is fed by fear, and all fears pass. Did no one tell you so? Come take my hand, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/fear-not-for-fear-itself-is-fed-by-fear-and-all-fears-pass-did-no-one/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [“There’s no such thing as needless fear. 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Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“Pain can create warriors, monsters, or prey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/pain-can-create-warriors-monsters-or-prey/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“Seared with scars and still shine like a star.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/seared-with-scars-and-still-shine-like-a-star/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“You don't know what you're capable of until you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/you-don-t-know-what-you-re-capable-of-until-you-try/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“We all have a voice. Some a whisper, some a roar. If you can roar, roar for others. If you can only whisper, keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/we-all-have-a-voice-some-a-whisper-some-a-roar-if-you-can-roar-roar/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“Inspire before you expire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/inspire-before-you-expire/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“Nourish the body, nourish the soul. Punish the body, punish the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/nourish-the-body-nourish-the-soul-punish-the-body-punish-the-soul/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“You can, you will. You did.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/you-can-you-will-you-did/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“Free thinker. Magic believer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/free-thinker-magic-believer/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“If you're reaching for the stars it's because you belong among them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/if-you-re-reaching-for-the-stars-it-s-because-you-belong-among-them/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“You may be a poet and not even know it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/you-may-be-a-poet-and-not-even-know-it/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“Feed your soul; books, places, people, anything. That helps it grow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/feed-your-soul-books-places-people-anything-that-helps-it-grow/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“You have nothing to prove. Only to yourself. That you're better than your old self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/you-have-nothing-to-prove-only-to-yourself-that-you-re-better-than/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) [Explore all 22 M.L. Shanahan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“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/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Don't feed fear then fear cannot feed on you.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "M.L. 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