Facing Your Fears

I was watching a documentary on the Biography channel about Mel Gibson recently. No doubt his reputation in Hollywood has been badly damaged by his frequent battles with alcoholism, outrageous anti-Semitic remarks and some crazy ill-tempered phone messages released by a former girlfriend. However, there is no doubt that Gibson has been a powerful force in the movie industry; first as an actor, then as a director and producer. What I discovered by watching his biography was that his success was fueled by his willingness to take chances that few Hollywood players, even to this day, are willing to take.

I was surprised to find that Mel Gibson is considered as one of Hollywood’s most courageous filmmakers. For instance, Gibson was the first person to be awarded the People Magazine “Most Sexiest Man Alive” designation. Yet, in his directorial debut a few years later, he chose to play the lead role in which his greatest asset was badly disfigured (“The Man Without A Face”, 1993). His next acting/directing endeavor involved a little-known 13th-century Scottish warrior named William Wallace (“Braveheart”, 1995). Following that, Gibson risked failing badly with his decision when directing “The Passion of the Christ” to hire unknown actors, as well as using subtitles with a script entirely in Aramaic and Latin. These are not decisions that are considered “safe” bets in the big business of Hollywood moving making.



What was interesting to me about all this was when he was asked in an interview why he seemed inclined to embark upon such risky projects that go against the traditional blueprint for Hollywood success. In his answer he spoke of a friend who challenged him once by saying to him: “Guess what happens when you don’t take a chance?...Nothing.”

That quote stood out to me in the Gibson biography because it challenges me to adopt the same mentality. I believe there is pressure for all of us to choose the safest, less risky path because if offers us the assurance of the least possible resistance. In other words, playing it safe is easy. Taking risks requires great effort. And too often we resist that extra effort and chicken out. We take the path that requires the least out of us. And in so doing, provides us with the least opportunity to grow.

Those who are courageous are willing to face their fears, undaunted by the prospect of failure. Sure it is an option, but the rewards are deemed worth the risks. So if you don’t want more out of life...do nothing. If you don’t want to grow...do nothing. If you want to linger in disoriented mediocrity...do nothing.

But guess what happens when you take a chance?...Something...Maybe everything!

I gotta grow!

J.T. Bean

Email: jamestbean@gmail.com
Twitter: @58beans
YouTube Channel: JTBeanScenes