--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Interestingly, the very experience of…" description: "\"Interestingly, the very experience of fear itself is the tip-off moment, the signal that a possibility for action is opening up and so a choice needs t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/robert-biswas-diener-54655_action_interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fea_626880.png" --- # Interestingly, the very experience of fear itself is the… ![“Interestingly, the very experience of fear itself is the tip-off moment, the signal that a possibility for action is opening up and so a choice needs to be made.” quote by Robert Biswas-Diener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/robert-biswas-diener-54655_action_interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fea_626880.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/robert-biswas-diener-54655_action_interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fea_626880.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/robert-biswas-diener-54655_action_interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fea_626880.png) > “Interestingly, the very experience of fear itself is the tip-off moment, the signal that a possibility for action is opening up and so a choice needs to be made.” [Robert Biswas-Diener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-biswas-diener/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear signals an emerging opportunity, prompting a decision to act or not. **In simple terms:** Fear shows a chance to act. Key Takeaway Recognize fear as a cue for choice. Themes psychology decision-making emotion Mood anxious motivated Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - crisis response - creative problem solving Key Concepts Opportunity detection cognitive appraisal Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn fear into a constructive decision? - What choices arise when you feel fear? A Different Perspective Fear can also paralyze, leading to avoidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Experience Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-fear-478974/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-itself/) [Fear Tip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-tip-5060606/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Opening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening/) [Opening Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening-choice-5060607/) [Opening up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening-up/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Possibility Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility-action-3781019/) [Signals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signals/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tip Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tip-moment-3066841/) ## Related quotes > [“The world may tip at any moment. But now that doesn't matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-furniss/the-world-may-tip-at-any-moment-but-now-that-doesn-t-matter/) [Clare Furniss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-furniss/) > [A desire presupposes the possibility of action to achieve it; action presupposes a goal which is worth achieving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/a-desire-presupposes-the-possibility-of-action-to-achieve-it-action-2/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“A desire presupposes the possibility of action to achieve it; action presupposes a goal that is worth achieving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/a-desire-presupposes-the-possibility-of-action-to-achieve-it-action/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [When we experience our fear, when we say the words "I am scared," we have the choice, the ability to acknowledge that being 'scared'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-michael-glaser/when-we-experience-our-fear-when-we-say-the-words-i-am-scared-we-have/) [Paul Michael Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-michael-glaser/) > [If you are not concerned about the outcome of a circumstance, you will experience no fear. Whatever the outcome will be, will be, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chin-ning-chu/if-you-are-not-concerned-about-the-outcome-of-a-circumstance-you-will/) [Chin-Ning Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chin-ning-chu/) > [We should not have to experience the fear of intimidation or retaliation in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-schlapp/we-should-not-have-to-experience-the-fear-of-intimidation-or/) [Mercedes Schlapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-schlapp/) > [Men do weird things when they experience fear. It's like a fight-or-flight thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/men-do-weird-things-when-they-experience-fear-it-s-like-a-fight-or/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [“For instance, is fear ever a legitimate response to crisis? Is there any truth at all to fear? In my experience, fear is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-shepherd/for-instance-is-fear-ever-a-legitimate-response-to-crisis-is-there/) [Jessica Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-shepherd/) > [Fear is about survival. When you drop under that and experience the fear without trying to change it, just letting it be, then it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gangaji/fear-is-about-survival-when-you-drop-under-that-and-experience-the/) [Gangaji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gangaji/) > [Our Western society is showing its technological muscles in ever more threatening ways, but the experience of fear, anxiety and even despair has increased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/our-western-society-is-showing-its-technological-muscles-in-ever-more/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Five Truths about Fear Truth 1. The fear will never go away as long as I continue to grow. Truth 2. The only way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/five-truths-about-fear-truth-1-the-fear-will-never-go-away-as-long-as/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Honestly, I do not experience fear in the mountains. On the contraryI feel my shoulders straightening, squaring, like the birds as they straighten their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoli-boukreev/honestly-i-do-not-experience-fear-in-the-mountains-on-the-contraryi/) [Anatoli Boukreev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoli-boukreev/) > [Vegeta: Let me ask you, does a machine like yourself every experience fear!?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragon-ball-z/vegeta-let-me-ask-you-does-a-machine-like-yourself-every-experience/) [Dragon Ball Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragon-ball-z/) > [“Okay, be serious. Aren't you ever afraid of anything?" "Plenty of time," he said softly. "Even when what you're afraid of defies all logic?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/okay-be-serious-aren-t-you-ever-afraid-of-anything-plenty-of-time-he/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [“I know from vast experience that fear talks a lot louder than courage. I need to listen to that other voice inside me, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-kagen/i-know-from-vast-experience-that-fear-talks-a-lot-louder-than-courage/) [Lesley Kagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-kagen/) ## More by Robert Biswas-Diener > [Think of your moods as a thermometer that takes the temperature of your life, if you just want to be happy all the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-biswas-diener/think-of-your-moods-as-a-thermometer-that-takes-the-temperature-of/) [Robert Biswas-Diener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-biswas-diener/) > [Instead of antiquated notions of physical daring, courage is much more about making small choices to take initiative even when we are experiencing anxiety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-biswas-diener/instead-of-antiquated-notions-of-physical-daring-courage-is-much-more/) [Robert Biswas-Diener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-biswas-diener/) > [Of all our basic virtues, courage is the one that helps us to live exactly the way we want and provides the psychological fuel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-biswas-diener/of-all-our-basic-virtues-courage-is-the-one-that-helps-us-to-live/) [Robert Biswas-Diener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-biswas-diener/) > [I believe that living out loud and not letting fear hold you back is the key to the fullest, most rewarding life possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-biswas-diener/i-believe-that-living-out-loud-and-not-letting-fear-hold-you-back-is/) [Robert Biswas-Diener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-biswas-diener/) > [The good life is best construed as a matrix that includes happiness, occasional sadness, a sense of purpose, playfulness, and psychological flexibility, as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-biswas-diener/the-good-life-is-best-construed-as-a-matrix-that-includes-happiness/) [Robert Biswas-Diener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-biswas-diener/) [Explore all 6 Robert Biswas-Diener quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-biswas-diener/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [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/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Interestingly, the very experience of fear itself is the tip-off moment, the signal that a possibility for action is opening up and so a choice needs to be made.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Biswas-Diener" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-biswas-diener/interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fear-itself-is-the-tip-off/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-biswas-diener/interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fear-itself-is-the-tip-off/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/robert-biswas-diener-54655_action_interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fea_626880.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/robert-biswas-diener-54655_action_interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fea_626880.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/robert-biswas-diener-54655_action_interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fea_626880.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Interestingly, the very experience of fear itself is the tip-off moment, the signal that a possibility for…” — Robert Biswas-Diener", "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": "Robert Biswas-Diener", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-biswas-diener/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Interestingly, the very experience of fear...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-biswas-diener/interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fear-itself-is-the-tip-off/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-biswas-diener/interestingly-the-very-experience-of-fear-itself-is-the-tip-off/#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 } } ] } ```