From Fear to Moving Forward: Why Trust is Necessary for Growth

We live in an era where pessimism often overshadows hope. Recent findings from the Edelman Trust Institute show that significant numbers of businesses, communities, families, and people believe that the future holds more challenges than opportunities. There’s less hope and declining optimism as we all deal with economic uncertainties, rapid technological advancements, like AI disruption, and even escalating geopolitical crises which are contributing to a collective feeling of being overwhelmed and powerless to effect change. If that’s not enough, it gets worse.

Without optimism, fear takes root. As of last year, 89% of people are actively worried about job loss, a majority of those are worry about inflation, climate change and nuclear war, and a wide majority are even concerned about food and energy shortages. These deep-seated fears only serve to deepen divisions, increase polarization, and leave communities disconnected. There’s an underlying feeling of being psychologically unsafe, regardless of actual circumstances, which only amplifies the sense of helplessness.

I’ve spent over a decade engaging with growth modalities of all kinds — from the relatively standard to the totally unconventional, from corporate approaches to indigenous remedies — and you know what I’ve found? Amidst our tumultuous times, we’ve lost a critical asset that’s required for any kind of growth: Trust.

I define trust a little differently than maybe you’ve heard it. Trust is the courageous act of seeing possibility in the unknown. Having faith in more positive results in the future, even if we can’t see them from where we sit today.

Where fear dominates, it’s simple (and even natural) to turn back — gripping onto beliefs, habits, and approaches we’re already familiar with, keeping us anchored to the status quo. Trust though, has us look ahead, however uncomfortable that may be. It’s the psychological mechanism that lets go of what no longer serves us, and starts to forge a new, innovative, or even transformative path forward.

Trust doesn’t emerge automatically. It requires deliberate effort to cultivate trust within ourselves and nurture it in those around us.

The first step is finding trust within ourselves, which can be developed by stepping outside our comfort zone, even in small ways. Doing so builds a belief that we’re capable beyond what we already know or think we know about ourselves. It might mean having that difficult conversation, training for a marathon, committing to a stretch goal. These intentional actions unshackle us from fear and reinforce our ability to handle unknown scenarios, regardless of circumstances. In other words, it builds trust.

Once we've fostered trust within ourselves, we can share it with our teams, communities, and families. Leading by example—through actions rather than words—shows others that they too can believe in themselves and in the possibility of a better future. This shared trust can inspire collective action, strengthen relationships, and rebuild fragmented teams and communities.

Without trust, we risk falling into a self-fulfilling prophecy of decline. If we believe that positive change is impossible, we won't take the actions necessary to achieve success. And who invests effort in what they deem impossible? (I can answer that for clarity: nobody). By cultivating trust — a belief that something greater is possible — we empower ourselves and others to grow, no matter what challenges we face.

Trust is necessary for growth. Instead of having the results we want snatched away by the jaws of fear, collectively we can inspire trust in a greater future being possible. The future may continue to be filled with chaotic, uncertain and uncomfortable realities, but because of trust, these forces no longer have to limit us, instead we can be empowered to tackle whatever lies ahead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqjvbjKMJ2o