Fear and The High Performer
A type of fear I will never forget.
For the last 11 years, I dedicated my life to NASA.
Not a bad line to start with—until you realize it was also a line I hid behind.
The fancy title. The mission. The stability. I convinced myself that staying was safer. That it was noble, and the smart thing to do. But deep down I was afraid.
Under the surface, I knew something was off. I stopped feeling proud and started feeling stuck.
There comes a quiet moment, usually when no one’s watching, where you hear the small voice inside ask, “What if there’s more?”
Not more in a flashy, ego-driven way.
More in a deeper, truer way. More of who you really are and what you were meant to do—if I stopped playing small.
The Decision I made on 6.24.2025
After long bouts of prayer, late night talks with my wife, deep reflection, and wisdom from mentors I trust, I’ve recently made a decision to step away from my full-time duties at NASA after 11 years.
It wasn’t easy. This job has been a dream. The mission. The people. The honor of serving.
But something kept tugging at me. A quiet nudge I couldn’t ignore.
Mark Twain put words to it:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did… Explore. Dream. Discover.”
That quote hit me hard. Because I don’t want to live with the regret of never trying.
Still, the doubts came fast and loud:
“What if this is a mistake?”
“What if you don’t make it?”
“You’re leaving something people would kill for.”
“You’re going to regret this.”
“Who do you think you are?”
Some days, I listened. But more and more, I came back to this bible verse:
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” — Isaiah 41:10
This verse was not just reassurance. It’s a promise. Deep in my heart, I know I’m not stepping out alone. When fear tells me to shrink, God calls me to trust. And that’s what I’m choosing. To trust. To leap. And to face fear and embrace faith.
The Real Race: Inner Game
I see this same fear show up with the golfers I work with.
Standing on the first tee with college coaches watching
Holding a one-shot lead on the 16th hole
Trying to stay in the moment while your playing partner birdies everything
Climbing up a leaderboard you’re not sure you belong on
Fear says:
“Don’t mess this up.”
“Don’t lose what you’ve built.”
“Don’t embarrass yourself.”
It tells you to aim small. To protect instead of trust. To play not to lose.
But here’s the truth: High performance doesn’t live in safety. It lives in belief.
Belief that you’ve prepared. Belief that you can respond to anything that happens. Belief that growth matters more than perfection.
What High Performers Do Differently
I’ve noticed high performers don’t try to eliminate fear. They play with it—and choose what to focus on:
“Where do I want to land this shot?”
“What’s my process—right here, right now?”
“What’s one thing I can control?”
They breathe. They trust their training. They anchor their mindset to something deeper than the scorecard.
Research on High Performance and Fear
High performers don’t wait to feel confident before they act—they build confidence through action. Albert Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory explains how your belief in your ability to succeed in a specific task shapes your motivation, behavior, and performance—especially under pressure.
In short: If you believe you can handle it, you’re more likely to perform well. If you don’t, fear takes over.
The four places you can start building self-belief today (Bandura, 1977):
Mastery Experiences
Remember the hard times you got through. Doing hard things builds belief.
In golf: Every time you play through nerves, save par from a tough lie, or commit to a pressure putt—you build trust in yourself. These moments shape your confidence more than anything else.
Vicarious Experiences
Watching someone like you succeed helps you believe you can too.
In golf: Seeing a teammate or tour player stay calm and compete freely in pressure moments can shift your own expectations—especially if you relate to their story.
Verbal Persuasion
Hearing encouragement from others can boost belief—when it’s credible.
In golf: A trusted coach saying, “You’ve done this before. Stick to your process.” is more impactful than generic hype. The source matters.
Physiological & Emotional States
How you interpret your body’s signals affects your confidence.
In golf: If your hands shake or your heart races before a tee shot, and you interpret that as panic, your performance drops. But if you see it as excitement or readiness, it enhances focus and energy.
Playing With Fear
Golf is a fear-prone sport. It’s quiet. It’s slow. There’s time to overthink.
Bandura’s theory helps you reframe fear—not as a signal to stop, but as a challenge to step into.
Fear before a shot? That’s a chance to build mastery.
Playing with better golfers? That’s a vicarious opportunity to learn and grow.
Remembering past success? That’s reinforcing your self-belief.
Noticing nerves? That’s your body getting ready—not failing you.
You don’t have to feel fearless to play well. You just need enough belief to swing with fear—and still trust yourself.
That’s self-efficacy. That’s how great golfers grow.
So the next time fear shows up—on the course, in life, in that moment that matters—don’t try to silence it away. Acknowledge it. Take a deep breath, and take your swing!
The goal isn’t to get rid of fear. It’s to trust and remember Who’s carrying you through it. This how you bet on yourself. That’s how you grow. That’s how you play free.
So here I am—walking away from the security of NASA, the comfort of what’s known. Not because it’s easy, but because I refuse to spend my life laying up when I know I have the distance to go for it. I’m betting on myself. Because I only get one swing at this life. And I’d rather take the shot, with fear in my chest and faith in my heart, than play it safe and wonder what could’ve been.
Your Mental Coach,
-Dr. Mat
So well said. I would love to know if NASA was what you thought it would be. —David