The Archetype of Fear (and Confidence)

Fear is a survival instinct. It alerts us to take charge, to prepare, or protect. Our ancestors who anticipated danger were more likely to survive, so our brains are wired to focus on threats, whether they are real or perceived.

Which brings me to why many people in today’s western world choose fear, one of which is that we have a tendency toward negative bias. Some of us are more inclined to remember and focus on negative experiences more than positive ones. This is because we perceive them as more critical to our survival. In addition, we tend to avoid uncertainty. The mind prefers to anticipate worst-case scenarios because it feels safer to be prepared for them. Which means some of us are conditioned for fear. If you were raised in an environment that emphasised caution, risk-aversion, and focusing on what could go wrong then you’re more likely to default into fear.

All of which are useful for survival. 

But. 

If you want to thrive, then you need confidence. 

Confidence allows you to take action, while unexamined fear will paralyse you. Even if things don’t work out perfectly, a confident mindset helps you recover faster. Not only that. Confidence can be self-fulfilling. When you believe a positive outcome is not only possible but probable, it leads you to take actions that make it more likely to happen.

Confidence is a positive projection. It’s a recognition that things will work out in your favour or that you have the ability to handle whatever comes your way. This helps to focus the mind on self-trust and an expectation of success. Meanwhile, fear is a negative projection. It’s the belief that something undesirable will happen or that you will not be able to cope. This belief stems from doubt, self-protection, and an expectation of failure or harm. Too often, there is little evidence in your life to substantiate the fear.

The same energy that generates fear is the same energy that generates confidence. It’s up to you which one you choose to activate. When you enter the sanctuary of your soul and rest in the compassionate energy of your sacred self, from there you can decide if it’s wiser to immediately activate confidence or to pause and check the veracity of your fear so you can resolve it before taking action. 

Gail Goodwin 2025

This is where archetypes come in. Archetypes are patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. Every archetype has two sides: a downside and an upside, negatives and positives, pitfalls and benefits. Your Fear archetype is also your Confidence archetype, and vice versa. Your Fear archetype is your Confidence archetype because the same energy that generates fear can, when recognised and transformed, become a source of strength for you. 

Let me use the Saboteur archetype as an example. It’s one we all share.

On the negative side of the Saboteur archetype, in this case the fearful side, the Saboteur triggers self-doubt, making you fear failure. You hesitate, procrastinate, or give up to avoid dealing with disappointment.

On the positive side of this archetype, in this case the confidence side, the same Saboteur archetype becomes a strategic thinker and healthy sceptic. It helps you identify potential risks, to plan carefully, and take calculated action. So, instead of trying to avoid failure, you can use your awareness of risks to prepare and increase your chances of success. 

The thing is that confidence is as real as fear. Confidence and fear are beliefs about the future. Both need you to believe in something that hasn’t happened yet. 

Here are some journal prompts to help you work through the archetype of Fear (and Confidence).

Journal Prompts

1. What is the purpose of choosing fear? Identify at least three ways you tend to choose fear over confidence.
2. Which do you tend to choose more often, is it confidence or fear? Why?
3. Think of a time when you chose fear over confidence. Who benefited from your choice? And conversely, think of a time when you chose confidence over fear. Who benefited from your choice?
4. Do you value fear more than confidence? Or do you value confidence more than fear?
5. To shift your perspective and find a balance between these extremes, identify a fear and choose an archetype to represent it. 
6. Deconstruct the archetype by brainstorming 6 negative associations and 6 positive associations. 
7. What do you believe will happen if this fear comes true?
8. When did you first start believing this? Is it based on a past experience? Describe it.
9. What evidence do you have that this fear is guaranteed to happen?
10. Can you think of times when things worked out better than you feared?
11. Is this fear always true in every situation? If everything worked out perfectly, what would that look like?
12. What skills, strengths, or support do you have that can help you succeed?
13. Reframe your belief. Example: Fear-based: “I will fail and embarrass myself.” Confidence-based: “I will do my best, and I’m capable of learning.”
14. What is one small step you can take toward this goal, even if you feel fear?
15. How will you keep yourself motivated to stay focused on confidence instead of fear?
16. Craft an affirmation, for example, “I choose to embody confidence because it is just as real as fear.” Or “I choose to embody confidence because it’s the same energy as fear.” Or “When I feel or sense fear, I will do a risk check, take appropriate action, and then embody confidence.”
17. Identify the times you chose confidence over fear. How did you feel? 
18. Play with this approach each day: Choose a thought. Pretend it’s already happened. Get excited about it. Watch what happens. 

The same energy that generates fear also generates confidence. You can decide which one to activate. Simply pause, then take refuge in the sanctuary of your soul. Rest in the energy of your Sacred Self. From there, you can choose to activate confidence or pause again to examine the truth of your fear and address it before taking action.