Why We Fear Change (And Why We Shouldn't)

Wondering in awe about life in all it´s forms…

Most people fear change. Not because it’s actually dangerous, but because it’s unknown. We like to think that staying where we are is the safer option, that familiarity is protection. But is that really true?

Over the years, I’ve worked in multiple industries—from high-end kitchens to operating rooms, from writing to emergency medicine. And no matter where I was, I saw the same thing: people feeling stuck.

Doctors who regretted their career choice but felt trapped by expectations. Chefs who had lost all passion but couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Colleagues in every field who spent their days talking about a different life—while doing nothing to change it.

It made me wonder: Why do we fear change so much, even when we know we’re unhappy?

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

We convince ourselves that change is risky, that it’s better to stay where we are. But is that true?

Think about it.

• Staying in a situation that drains you is just another kind of risk.

• What’s worse? The fear of failing at something new—or the slow, certain burnout of doing something that no longer fits you?

I’ve changed careers five times. Every transition came with uncertainty, doubt, and that voice in my head saying, “What if this doesn’t work?” But here’s what I realized:

💡 The biggest lie we tell ourselves is that we have no choice.

There is always a choice. It might not be easy, convenient, or comfortable—but it exists. And the longer we ignore it, the more we convince ourselves that we’re stuck.

Why Do We Stay?

The fear of change isn’t really about change itself. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves:

📌 "What if I fail?" – But what if you don’t?
📌 "I’m too old to start over." – Then why do you still feel like you haven’t started?
📌 "I don’t have the time/money/resources." – Yet you have time to stay where you are?

We overestimate the danger of change and underestimate the cost of staying the same.

If you’ve ever looked at your life and thought, “This isn’t how I imagined it,” you’re not alone. But the real question isn’t whether change is possible. It’s whether you’re willing to take the first step before waiting for everything to be perfect.

What 20+ Years in 5 Industries Taught Me About Change

1️⃣ Fear of failure is overrated—staying stuck is worse.

• I’ve failed plenty of times. But none of those failures ever hurt as much as staying in something that wasn’t right for me.

2️⃣ You don’t have to fit into a system that wasn’t built for you.

• Many of us follow a pre-scripted life plan that has nothing to do with who we actually are. The system isn’t broken—it was just never designed for individuality.

3️⃣ The more experiences you have, the sharper your perspective.

• People talk about "finding their purpose," but maybe it’s less about finding and more about collecting.

• Every detour, every misstep, every unexpected turn—that’s where growth happens.

The Real Question: What’s Stopping You?

Most people already know what needs to change in their life.

They know their job isn’t right.
They know what excites them.
They know where they feel drained.

But knowing isn’t the problem. Taking action is.

The fear of "What if?" keeps us frozen. But what if you flipped the question?

❓ What if it works out better than you ever imagined?
❓ What if the real risk isn’t change—but staying stuck?

You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need to start.

Final Thought

Change isn’t something we need to fear. The real fear should be looking back in ten years and realizing we never tried.

So, what’s the first step you could take today? Not in six months, not when things "calm down," not when you feel ready—but right now.

Because waiting for the perfect time? That’s just another way to stay exactly where you are.