You’re not scared of failing—you’re scared of becoming someone you don’t recognize.
People think they’re afraid of darkness, but this is not true.
You’re not afraid of falling down; you’re afraid of rising up and becoming a version of yourself you won’t recognize.
Because the truth is simple: “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”
It’s like looking at yourself in complete darkness and convincing yourself that it’s flawless. Then the sun rises, and all the flaws are clear. Instead of accepting them and trying to improve, you go back inside your own little cave and live in…
The Illusion
I have spent most of my life ignoring the fact that I was born to be a writer and a poet.
When I was a kid, about six years old, I used to write letters to my classmates and tell them that they are my friends and that I loved them so much.
I loved being at school among other kids because I felt like I belonged to a community.
One day, my teacher found the letters. She was impressed and called my father to tell him that he has a talented daughter.
Poor dad, he had never been to school and didn’t know how to read or write.
But he was also the same father who told us a lot of stories before we went to bed.
My dad was proud of me. I knew it because, years later, when I graduated high school, he got me a computer and golden earrings.
He is the kind of man who expresses his love by doing more or giving more.
My parents maybe didn’t know how to encourage me and were trying to conform to societal standards.
However, that wasn’t an excuse for me to reject the gift that I was born with.
I spent my time trying to convince myself that I am like the others.
And I nurtured the illusion that everything is fine and that I am safer in my little cave, with my little friends, who are mostly bats and other parasites.
Yes, I mean it—other parasites that I was trying to please so they stay inside with me and don’t fly away.
In darkness:
• No expectations
• No pressure
• No responsibility
It’s only you and the other dark creatures that are drawn to that comfort.
And when the cave is crowded, you don’t go out for light.
You just expand it and look for tunnels and darker spots to victimize yourself,
and feed on that poisonous energy that lurks within.
But the moment you get tired of all of that and you decide to step into the light,
you start losing all of that.
Step in the Light
In the beginning, it’s hard, and the light might feel like pain.
You go outside and go back into your comfort zone.
You start wandering in the wilderness, slowly discovering other creatures that you weren’t acquainted with.
And whenever you go back inside, you start disliking those very creatures that you used to please.
In the light, you can’t lie to yourself.
You go to the lake and see your reflection for the first time.
It’s beautiful.
You move around and start realizing that life outside that cave is much more exciting.
You meet dangerous creatures, normal ones, and different ones.
And you start befriending those who exceed you so you can take a little from their light.
The light demands a version of you that darkness could never require.
Welcome to life.
“There’s an old story from Ghana… about a trickster named Anansi.”
“Anansi wanted all the wisdom in the world… so he went out and collected it.”
“Piece by piece… from everywhere… until he had it all.”
“He placed all that wisdom into a pot.”
“Now you would think… he would share it.”
“But he didn’t.”
“He decided to hide it… so he could be the only one in the light.”
“He climbed a tree… with the pot tied in front of him…”
“But he kept falling. Again and again…”
“Until his young son looked at him and said…”
‘Why don’t you carry it on your back?’
“In that moment… Anansi realized something terrifying…”
“After collecting all the wisdom in the world… he still didn’t know how to carry it.”
“So he got frustrated… and he threw the pot down. And the wisdom… scattered.”
Some People Don’t Know How to Carry the Light
Some people don’t fail because they lack potential.
They fail… because they don’t know how to carry the light.
And instead of letting it spread, they try to contain it in a pot.
Love and the Fear of Light
And this doesn’t only apply to life; it applies to love.
Many people nowadays meet the right person,
the one who values them, genuinely loves them, and appreciates them.
And instead of tuning to the light,
they ruin it and destroy it with their fear,
because they’re used to the cave—
the dark creatures that hyped them up with their toxic elixir.
Toxic love feels safe because, deep down, you believe that you’re not worthy of the light.
The light exposes parts of you that you don’t want to work on, and that is why
you cave in!
How to Step into the Light?
We tend to reject our destiny because we are afraid of the greatness within.
I rejected my talent because I was afraid of it.
And Anansi dropped the wisdom because he tried to control the light.
You stay in darkness because the sun exposes your flaws—
the ones you don’t want to work on.
The question is not: Will you be ready to carry the light?
The question is: Will you be ready to step outside for it?
Look within yourself for the answers—don’t look outside.
Your internal world holds the truth to one simple question:
What is the worst that could happen if I become what I am afraid to become?
And what is the best that could happen?
Start with intention.
Decide to align with who you believe you truly are.
For example, I am a writer—but my job is teaching.
The moment I decided I wanted to become a known author,
accepting a teaching job started to feel heavy.
The worst-case scenario? I might be jobless for a while.
The best-case scenario? I make it.
And that’s the trade most people avoid.
Whatever your light is—follow it.
Yes, it’s hard in the beginning.
But it gets easier.
Step out of your comfort zone.
Try new things. Meet new people.
That’s the only way you discover what comes next.
Follow the light.
The more you step outside, the less darkness you feel.
Life rewards movement. Not comfort.
Go back to that kid within you—
the one who knew exactly what they wanted to be.
That kid knew…
because no one had convinced them it was impossible.
The truth is, we create our own obstacles—
and then we live trapped inside them.
Break them. Slowly, if you must.
But break them.
Because eventually,
you will become exactly who you were meant to be.
—
Previously Published on Medium
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