Are some people fearless: what bomb experts show.
Are some people fearless? A few may be physically calmer, since decorated bomb-disposal operators kept lower heart rates. However, they felt no less afraid and performed no better. So a calmer body is not the advantage it seems.
Heart rates under threat.
In 1983, Cox, Hallam, O'Connor and Rachman compared seven decorated British Army bomb-disposal operators with seven undecorated peers. Under threat of an electric shock, the decorated group kept a lower heart rate. Then, in 1985, O'Connor, Hallam and Rachman repeated the bomb disposal courage study and found the same heart-rate result.
Are some people fearless where it counts.
However, the groups reported no difference in how afraid they felt. Also, they showed no difference in performance under stress. In the replication, apart from minor exceptions, performance matched as well. So when you ask are some people fearless, the better question is whether it matters. Here, it did not.
Courage measured beside fear.
In a 2009 pilot study, Peter Norton and Brandon Weiss asked 32 spider-fearful people to approach four preserved tarantulas. Even accounting for fear strength, those scoring higher on courage moved closer. In short, fear and courage are different things, present in one person at once. Still, none of these studies tested founders, so your own predictions matter most.
Stop asking are some people fearless and test yourself.
Write one step you avoid because you think fearless people do it better.
Take it tonight, then record your number beside what really happened.
From the book.
The best evidence comes from bomb disposal. In 1983, D. Cox, R. Hallam, K. O'Connor and Stanley Rachman compared seven British Army bomb-disposal operators who had been decorated for gallantry with seven who were just as experienced and successful but had not been decorated. Under threat of an electric shock, while making difficult decisions, the decorated operators kept a lower heart rate. In 1985, O'Connor, Hallam and Rachman repeated the study and got the same heart-rate result.
I Want to Start a Business but I'm a Coward, chapter 10: Courage does not delete the fear
Questions about are some people fearless.
Are some people fearless at the level of the body?
Possibly. Decorated bomb-disposal operators kept lower heart rates under threat of a shock.
Did the calmer operators perform better?
No. Both studies found no meaningful difference in performance between the groups.
Do these studies apply to founders?
None tested founders. The principle is carried across, so your written predictions are the closest test.
Read the whole chapter.
This lesson covers one section of chapter 10, “Courage does not delete the fear”. The book goes further, with the full evidence, the stories and every exercise.
Lessons in this chapter.
- 01 White bear experiment: why pushed fears return.
- 02 Fear extinction learning: courage adds a memory.
- 03 Exposure hierarchy for fear: an 8-step sales ladder.
- 04 Fear came back after progress: why rooms matter.
- 05 Fear driven business decisions: freeze or rush.
- 06 Are some people fearless: what bomb experts show.
- 07 Exposure exercise not working: seven fixes.