False Evidence Appearing Real

In a movie that I recently watched, the main character tells his son that fear is not real. He explains that fear is not based on the event of the moment, but what we predict will happen based on that event. This is probably the basis for many of our phobias. Otherwise why would some people be afraid of flying or spiders, and others not? The main character also distinguishes between danger and fear. He explains that, since danger is in the present, we should be mindful of it and plan accordingly. How many times do we create a fear-based story that often never materializes. Or if it does materialize, how much of what we injected into it constituted a self-fulfilling prophecy? This is what some refer to as fatalizing or catastrophizing which means that we project the worst possible outcome onto the event. How many times have you done this in your life and the outcome never matched the prediction? I know I have. Think about the energy expended in the worry and anxiety in using such an approach. What would happen if you faced the danger of the moment, took appropriate action, and then released the outcome? You would then have the time and energy to devote to more constructive pursuits. When was the last time you allowed False Evidence to Appear Real and what were the long-term results of this?