“When a man starts to learn he is never clear about his objectives. His purpose is faulty; his intent vague. He hopes for rewards that will never materialize, for he knows nothing of the hardships of learning.
He slowly begins to learn–bit by bit, and then in big chunks and his thoughts soon clash. What he learns is never what he pictured, or imagined, and so he begins to be afraid. Learning is never what one expects. Every step of learning is a new task, and the fear the man is experiencing begins to mount mercilessly, unyieldingly. His purpose becomes a battlefield.
Thus he has stumbled upon the first of his natural enemies: fear! A terrible enemy–treacherous and difficult to overcome. It remains concealed at every turn of the way, prowling, waiting. And if the man terrified in its presence turns away, his enemy will have put an end to his quest.
What will happen to the man if he turns away in fear? Nothing happens to him except he will never learn. He will never become a man of knowledge. He will perhaps be a bully or a harmless scared man; at any rate he will be a defeated man. His first enemy will have put an end to his cravings.
And what can he do to overcome fear? The answer is very simple. He must not run away. He must defy his fear and in spite of it he must take the next step in learning, and the next, and the next. He must be fully afraid and yet he must not stop. This is the rule. And the moment will come when his first enemy retreats, the man begins to feel sure of himself, his intent becomes stronger, learning is no longer a terrifying task.”
~Carlos Castaneda, as quoted in my copy of READINGS from the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School